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HAMLET^ A  TRAGEDY 


: 


TO    BE    OR    NOT   TO    BE. 


HAMLET 

A    T  RAGE  D  Y 

By  WILLIAM  SHAKESPEARE 

The   E.  H.  SOTHERN 
ACTING    VERSION 


M9CLURE,    PHILLIPS 
NEW     YOR 
M  CM  I 


C9 


K 


Copyright,  ,?,9OL,  by  .McpLUjiE,  PHILLIPS  £9*  Co. 


DRAMATIS  *  PERSONS 


original  cast  of  the  play  as  presented  by 
Mr  SOTHERN  &  Miss  HARNED,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  DANIEL  FROHMAN,  at  the  Garden  theatre, 
New  Tork,  Monday  evening,  17  September,  MCM.~\ 

CLAUDIUS,   King  of  Denmark  .....  ....  Arthur  R.   Lawrence 

HAMLET,  son  of  the  late  and  nephew  of  the 

present  king  .......................  E.   H.  Sothern 

POLONIUS,   Lord   Chamberlain  ..............  Edwin  Varrey 

LAERTES,  son   of  Polonius  ..............  Vincent  Sternroyd 

HORATIO,   friend    of  Hamlet  ...............  Henry   Carvill 

OSRIC  ..............  -\  r  ......  Richard  Lambart 

ROSENCRANTZ  ........  (-  courtiers  -j  ........  Taylor  Holmes 

GUILDENSTERN  .......  }  (  .......  E.  F.   Bostwick 

A   PRIEST  ----  .  ............................  Basil  West 

MARCELLUS  ..........  |  (  .....  George   E.   Bryant 

BERNARDO  ...........  j  (         s  {  .....  Sydney  C.  Mather 

FRANCISCO,  a  soldier  ......................  Daniel  Jarrett 

REYNALDO,  servant  of  Polonius  ..............  E.   Raymond 

FIRST  PLAYER  ........................  Leonard  Outram 

SECOND    PLAYER  ..........................  Arthur   Scott 

FIRST  GRAVEDIGGER  .......  ...........  Rowland  Buckstone 

SECOND  GRAVEDIGGER  ....................  John  J.  Collins 

GHOST  of  HAMLET'S  FATHER  ..............  William  Harris 

FORTINBRAS,   Prince  of  Norway  .........  George  E.   Bryant 

GERTRUDE,  Queen  of  Denmark  and  mother  of 

Hamlet  ..........................  Charlotte  Deane 

OPHELIA,   daughter   of  Polonius  ...........  Virginia   Harned 

PLAYER  QUEEN  .........................  Adelaide  Keim 

Lords,   Ladies,    Officers,    Soldiers,    Messengers,    Followers    of 
Fortinbras,   and  other  Attendants 


[v] 


M122850 


HAMLET^ A  TRAGEDY 


ACT    ONE 


THE  FIRST  SCENE 


scene  represents  a  flatform  before  the  castle 
of  Elsmore,  the  royal  seat  of  the  Kings  of  Denmark. 
A  bell  tolls  midnight,  tfhe  curtain  rises  at  the  sixth 
stroke  of  the  bell  and  discovers  FRANCISCO  walking  on 
his  post.  BERNARDO  enters  at  the  tenth  stroke  of  tlie 
bell.] 

BERNARDO. 
WHO'S  there? 

FRANCISCO. 
Nay,  answer  me  :  stand,  and  unfold  yourself. 

BERNARDO. 
Long  live  the  king  ! 

FRANCISCO. 
Bernardo  ? 

BERNARDO. 
He. 

FRANCISCO. 
You  come  most  carefully  upon  your  hour. 

BERNARDO. 
'Tis  now  struck  twelve  ;  get  thee  to  bed,  Francisco. 

FRANCISCO. 

For  this  relief  much  thanks  :  'tis  bitter  cold, 
And  I  am  sick  at  heart. 

BERNARDO. 
Have  you  had  quiet  guard  ? 

FRANCISCO. 

Not  a  mouse  stirring. 

BERNARDO. 
Well,  good  night. 

If  you  do  meet  Horatio  and  Marcellus, 
The  rivals  of  my  watch,  bid  them  make  haste. 

[3] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

FRANCISCO. 
I  think  I  hear  them.     Stand,  ho  !    Who  is  there  ? 

—  Enter  HORATIO  and  MARCELLUS. 

HORATIO. 
Friends  to  this  ground. 

MARCELLUS. 
And  liegemen  to  the  Dane. 

FRANCISCO. 
Give  you  good  night. 

MARCELLUS. 

O,  farewell,  honest  soldier^  ? 
Who  hath  relieved  you  ? 

FRANCISCO.         ^a>5 

Bernardo  ftajii  my  place. 
Give  you  good  night.  (Exit) 

MARCELLUS. 

Holla !     Bernardo ! 

BERNARDO. 

Say, 
Whak  is  Horatio  there  ? 

HORATIO. 

A  piece  of  him. 

BERNARDO. 
Welcome,  Horatiof  welcome,  good  Marcellus. 

^  MARCELLUS. 

What,  n^s  this  thing  appear'd  again  to-night  ? 

BERNARDO. 
I  have  seen  nothing. 

[4] 


ACT  ONE  oe  THE  FIRST  SCENE 

MARCELLUS. 

Horatio  says  'tis  but  our  fantasy, 
And  will  not  let  belief  take  hold  of  him 
Touching  this  dreaded  sight,  twice  seen  ofus/t 
Therefore  I  have  entreated  him  along 
With  us,  to  watch  the  minutes  of  this  night, 
That  if  again  this  apparition  come, 
He  may  approve  our  eyes,  and  speak  to  it. 

HORATIO. 
Tush,  tush,  'twill  not  appear. 

BERNARDO. 

Sit  down  a  while> 

And  let  us  once  again  assail  your  ears, 
That  are  so  fortified  against  our  story, 

What  we  ffeve.  two  night^seen. 

r\av& 
HORATIO. 

Well,  sit  we  down, 
And  let  us  hear  Bernardo  speak  of  this. 

BERNARDO. 
Last  night  of  all, 
When  yond  same  star  that's  westward  from  the 

pole 

Had  made  his  course  tt?1  illume  that  part  of  heaven 
Where  now  it  burns,  Marcellus  and  myself, 
The  bell  then  beating 


Enter  GHOST. 

MARCELLUS. 
Peace,  break  thee  off;,  look,  where  it  comes  again  ! 

BERNARDO. 

In  the  same  figure,  like  the  king  that's  dead. 
T/»o*  a^?  *  &#i)-ar'if>e*k  4*  ir  He^ifa 

-^»***'ii™trfk?ytfSF*)i}»  *?  /Y*r**/f 

Most  like  :  it  harrows  me  with  fear  and  wonder. 

[5] 


HAMLET^A  TRAGEDY 

BERNARDO. 
It  would  be  spoke  to. 

MARCELLUS. 

Question  it,  Horatio. 
HORATIO. 

What  art  thoiy  that  usurp'st  this  time  of  night, 
Together  with  that  fair  and  warlike  form 
In  which  the  majesty  of  buried  Denmark 
Did  sometimes  march&  by  heaven  I  charge  theexx 
speak^ 

MARCELLUS. 
It  is  offended. 

BERNARDO. 
See,  it  stalks  away'S 

HORATIO. 
Stay}: speak;  speak V.  I  charge  thee,  speak ^ 

(Exit  GHOST.) 
MARCELLUS. 
'Tis  gone,  and  will  not  answer. 

BERNARDO. 

How  now/  Horatio  J?you  tremble  and  look  pale  : 
Is  not  this  something  more  than  fantasy  2 
What  think  you  on't  ? 

HORATIO. 

Before  my  God,  I  might  not  this  believe 
Without  the  sensible  and  true  avouch 
Of  mine  own  eyes. 

MARCELLUS. 
Is  it  not  like  the  king  ? 

HORATIO. 

As  thou  art  to  thyself  >. , 
Such  was  the  very  armour  he  had  on, 
When  he  the  ambitious  Norway  combated: 

*'W  h*  oAce^    [6] 
H*t™&  16#  ft"l 
Tt's 


ACT  ONE  a*  THE  FIRST  SCENE 

MARC^LLUS. 

Thus  twice  before,  and  jimp  at  this  dead  hour, 
With  martial  stalk  ,hatri  he  gone  by  our  watch. 

HORATIO. 

In  what  particular  thought  to  work?I  know 
But,  in  the  gross  and  scope  of  my  opinion, 
This  bodes  some  strange  eruption  to  our  state.          / 

M 


Good  now,  sit  down,  and  tell  me/  he  that  kno 
Why  this'  same  strict  and  most  observant  watch 
So  nightly  toils  the 
Who  is't  that  can  inform 


rr 

HORATIO 

That  can 

At  least  the  whisper  goes  so:     Our  last  king, 
Whose  image  even  but  now  appear'd  to  us,    \\ 
"^ertjy  as/as  ^ou  knowi  by  Fortinl?ras  of  Norway,     ^ 
Dared    to  'the    combat;.  In   which    our    valiant 

Hamlet}c-/- 

JMd  slay  this  Fortinbrasxwho  by  a  seal'd  compact, 
"tfti  foSe'it;(¥itt  Hfs'l^air  those  his  lands 
Which  he*  stood  seized  ^  to  the  conqueror: 
Now,  sir,  young  Fortinbras, 
Hath  in  the  skirts  of  £Jorway  here  and  there 
Shark'd  up  a  list  of-li^le^s1  resblutes,     , 
But  to  recover  of  us/  by  strong  hanc^hose  fore- 

said  lands  'd/>^  t&rn»s  comotx/i^fi 

So  by  his  father  lost: 


I  think  it  be  no  other  but  e*en  so. 

_^x*--^*"^ 

Re-en  ter  GHOST. 

HORATIO. 

But  soft,  behold  }?k>,  where  it  comes  againi; 
I'll  cross  it,  though  it  blast  me.     Stay,  illusionV: 

[7] 


HAMLETo*A   TRAGEDY 

If  thou  hast  any  sound,  or  use  of  voice, 
Jfoeak  to  me>1_L^> 
Of  there  be  any  good  thing  to  be  done, 

That  may  to  thee  do  ease^and  grace  to  me>»  '. 

Speak  to  meV 


If  thou  art  privy  to  thy  country's 
£  Which,  happily/  foreknowing  may  avoid//  ^ 
— 


Or  if  thou  hast  uphoarded  in  thy  life 
JExtorted  treasure  in  the  womb  of  earth, 
IFor  which,  they  say,  you  spirits  oft  walk  in  deatly/ 


Speak  of  it>  stay,  and  speak J^.1 
Stop  hyMarcellus. 

MARCELLUS. 
Shall  I  strike  at  it  with  my  partisan  *? 

HORATIO. 
Do,  if  it  will  not  stand. 

BERNARDO. 

Tis  hereT 

HORATIO. 

Tis  heret 
MARCELLUS. 

Tis  gone>  (Exit  GHOST.) 

We  do  it  wrong,  being  so  majestica^- 
To  offer  it  the  show  of  violence^ 
For  it  is/ as  the  air,  invulnerable, 
And  our  vain  blowSj  malicious  mockery. 

BERNARDO. 
It  was  about  to  speak,  when  the  cock  crew. 

HORATIO. 

And  then  it  started  like  a  guilty  thing 
Upon  a  fearful  summons.     I  have  heard, 
The  cock/  that  is  the  trumpet  to  the  mom-, 

[8] 


ACT  ONE  <*  THE  FIRST  SCENE 

Doth  with  his  lofty  and  shrill-sounding  throat 
Awake  the  god  of  day,:  and  at  his  warning, 
Whether  in  sea, or  fire,  in  earth  or  air, 
The  extravagant,  and  erring  spirit  hies 
To  his  confine.  A*  d 

MARCELLUS. 

Some  say  that  ever  'gainst  that  season  comes 
Wherein  our  Saviour's  birth  is  celebrated, 
The  bird  of  dawning  singeth  all  night  long  : 
And  thenr(they  say^/no  spirit  dare  stir  abroad, 
The  nights  are  wholesome,  then  no  planets  strike. 
No  fairy  la&l^  nor  witch  hath  power  to  charm,: 
So  hallow'djand  so  gracious  is  the  time. 

HORATIO. 

So  have  I  heard  and  do  in  part  believe  it. 
But  look,  the  monyin  russet  mantle  clad, 
Walks  o'er  the  dew  of  yon  high  eastward  hill  >, 
Break  we  our  watch  up>  and  by  my  advice/- 
Let  us  impart  what  we  have  seen  to-night 
Unto  young  Hamlet X^or,  upon  my  life, 
This  spirit,  dumb  to  us,  will  speak  to  him! 


[9] 


THE  SECOND  SCENE 

\A  room  of  state  in  the  castle.  To  the  strains  of  a 
Danish  march,  there  enter  the  KING,  QUEEN,  HAM- 
LET, POLONIUS,  LAERTES,  VOLTIMAND,  CORNELIUS, 
LORDS,  and  ATTENDANTS.] 

KING. 
THOUGH  yet  of  Hamlet  our  dear  brother's 

death 

The  memory  be  green,  and  that  it  us  befitted 
To  bear  our  hearts  in  grief  and  our  whole  kingdom 
To  be  contracted  in  one  brow  of  woe, 
Yet  so  far  hath  discretion  fought  with  nature 
That  we  with  wisest  sorrow  think  on  him, 
Together  with  remembrance  of  ourselves. 
Therefore  our  sometime  sister,  now  our  queen, 
The  imperial  jointress  to  this  warlike  state, 
Have  we,  as  'twere  with  a  defeated  joy, 
Taken  to  wife  :  nor  have  we  herein  barr'd 
Your  better  wisdoms,  which  have  freely  gone 
With  this  affair  along.     For  all,  our  thanks. 
And  now,  Laertes,  what's  the  news  with  you  ? 
You  told  us  of  some  suit ;  what  is't,  Laertes  ? 

LAERTES. 

My  dread  lord, 

Your  leave  and  favour  to  return  to  France, 
From  whence  though  willingly  I  came  to  Den- 
mark, 

To  show  my  duty  in  your  coronation, 
Yet  now,  I  must  confess,  that  duty  done, 
My   thoughts   and   wishes    bend    again    toward 

France 

And  bow  them  to  your  gracious  leave  and  par- 
don. 

KING. 

Have  you  your  father's  leave  *?     What  says  Po- 
lonius  9 

[10] 


"- 


•  etc 

•  , 

,  ,  .  ,  , 


<  •  «  c  < 
•  •*_ 


ACT  ONE^SECOND  SCENE 

POLONIUS. 

He  hath,  my  lord,  wrung  from  me  my  slow  leave 
By  laboursome  petition,  and  at  last 
Upon  his  will  I  seal'd  my  hard  consent : 
I  do  beseech  you,  give  him  leave  to  go. 

KING. 

Take  thy  fair  hour,  Laertes ;  time  be  thine, 
And  thy  best  graces  spend  it  at  thy  will ! 
But  now,  my  cousin  Hamlet,  and  my  son, — 

HAMLET.     {A side?) 
A  little  more  than  kin,  and  less  than  kind. 

KING. 
How  is  it  that  the  clouds  still  hang  on  you  ? 

HAMLET. 
Not  so,  my  lord ;  I  am  too  much  i'  the  sun. 

QUEEN. 

Good  Hamlet,  cast  thy  nighted  colour  off, 
And  let  thine  eye  look  like  a  friend  on  Denmark. 
Do  not  forever  with  thy  vailed  lids 
Seek  for  thy  noble  father  in  the  dust : 
Thou  know'st  'tis  common ;  all  that  lives  must  die, 
Passing  through  nature  to  eternity. 

HAMLET. 
Ay,  madam,  it  is  common. 

QUEEN. 

If  it  be, 
Why  seems  it  so  particular  with  thee  ? 

HAMLET. 

Seems,  madam !  nay,  it  is ;  I  know  not  "  seems." 
'Tis  not  alone  my  inky  cloak,  good  mother, 
Nor  customary  suits  of  solemn  black, 
Nor  windy  suspiration  of  forced  'breath, 


HAMLETv*A   TRAGEDY 

No,  nor  the  fruitful  river  in  the  eye, 
Nor  the  dejected  haviour  of  the  visage, 
Together  with  all  forms,  moods,  shapes  of  grief, 
That  can  denote  me  truly :  these  indeed  seem, 
For  they  are  actions  that  a  man  might  play : 
But  I  have  that  within  which  passeth  show ; 
These  but  the  trappings  and  the  suits  of  woe. 

KING. 
'Tis   sweet   and   commendable    in   your   nature, 

Hamlet, 

To  give  these  mourning  duties  to  your  father: 
But,  you  must  know,  your  father  lost  a  father, 
That  father  lost,  lost  his,  and  the  survivor  bound 
In  filial  obligation  for  some  term 
To  do  obsequious  sorrow :  but  to  persever 
In  obstinate  condolement  is  a  course 
Of  impious  stubbornness ;  'tis  unmanly  grief: 
It  shows  a  will  most  incorrect  to  heaven, 
A  heart  unfortified,  a  mind  impatient, 
An  understanding  simple  and  unschool'd. 
We  pray  you,  throw  to  earth 
This  unprevailing  woe,  and  think  of  us 
As  of  a  father :  for  let  the  world  take  note, 
You  are  the  most  immediate  to  our  throne, 
Our  chiefest  courtier,  cousin  and  our  son. 

QUEEN. 

Let  not  thy  mother  lose  her  prayers,  Hamlet : 
I  pray  thee,  stay  with  us ;  go  not  to  Wittenberg. 

HAMLET. 
I  shall  in  all  my  best  obey  you,  madam. 

KING. 

Why,  'tis  a  loving  and  a  fair  reply: 
Be  as  ourself  in  Denmark.     Madam,  come  ; 
This  gentle  and  unforced  accord  of  Hamlet 

[12] 


I    SHALL    IN    ALL    MY    BEST    OBEY    YOU,    MADAM." 


ACT  ONEosSECOND  SCENE 

Sits  smiling  to  my  heart :  in  grace  whereof, 
No  jocund  health  that  Denmark  drinks  to-day, 
But  the  great  cannon  to  the  clouds  shall  tell, 
And  the  king's  rouse  the  heaven  shall  bruit  again, 
Re-speaking  earthly  thunder.     Come  away. 

(Flourish.     Exeunt  all  but  HAMLET.) 

HAMLET. 

O,  that  this  too  too  solid  flesh  would  melt, 
Thaw  and  resolve  itself  into  a  dew ! 
Or  that  the  Everlasting  had  not  fix'd 
His  canon  'gainst  self-slaughter !  O  God  !  God ! 
How  weary,  stale,  flat  and  unprofitable 
Seem  to  me  all  the  uses  of  this  world ! 
Fie  on't !  ah  fie !  'tis  an  unweeded  garden, 
That  grows  to  seed ;  things  rank  and  gross  in  nat- 
ure 
Possess  it  merely.    (Rising)    That  it  should  come 

to  this ! 

But  two  months  dead !  nay,  not  so  much,  not  two : 
So  excellent  a  king;  that  was,  to  this, 
Hyperion  to  a  satyr :  so  loving  to  my  mother, 
That  he  might  not  beteem  the  winds  of  heaven 
Visit  her  face  too  roughly.     Heaven  and  earth  ! 
Must  I  remember  *?  why,  she  would  hang  on  him, 
As  if  increase  of  appetite  had  grown 
By  what  it  fed  on :  and  yet,  within  a  month — 
Let   me    not   think    on't — Frailty,    thy   name  is 

woman ! — 

A  little  month,  or  ere  those  shoes  were  old 
With  which  she  follow'd  my  poor  father's  body, 
Like  Niobe,  all  tears : — why  she,  even  she, — 
O  God !  a  beast  that  wants  discourse  of  reason 
Would  have  mourn'd  longer, — married  with  my 

uncle, 

My  father's  brother,  but  no  more  like  my  father 
Than  I  to  Hercules :  within  a  month ; 

[13] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

Ere  yet  the  salt  of  most  unrighteous  tears 

Had  left  the  flushing  in  her  galled  eyes, 

She  married.     O,  most  wicked  speed,  to  post 

With  such  dexterity  to  incestuous  sheets ! 

It  is  not,  nor  it  cannot  come  to  good : 

But  break,  my  heart,  for  I  must  hold  my  tongue ! 

Enter  HORATIO,  MARCELLUS,  and  BERNARDO. 

HORATIO. 
Hail  to  your  lordship  ! 

HAMLET. 

I  am  glad  to  see  you  well : 
Horatio, — or  I  do  forget  myself. 

HORATIO. 
The  same,  my  lord,  and  your  poor  servant  ever. 

HAMLET. 
Sir,  my  good  friend ;  I'll  change  that  name  with 

you: 

And  what  make  you  from  Wittenberg,  Horatio*? 
Marcellus  *? 

MARCELLUS. 
My  good  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
I  am  very  glad   to  see  you.     (fo  BERNARDO.) 

Good  even,  sir. 
But  what,  in  faith,  make  you  from  Wittenberg  ? 

HORATIO. 
A  truant  disposition,  good  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

I  would  not  hear  your  enemy  say  so, 
Nor  shall  you  do  my  ear  that  violence, 
To  make  it  truster  of  your  own  report 

[14] 


ACT  ONEoeSECOND  SCENE 

Against  yourself:  I  know  you  are  no  truant. 

But  what  is  your  affair  in  Elsinore  ? 

We'll  teach  you  to  drink  deep  ere  you  depart. 

HORATIO. 
My  lord,  I  came  to  see  your  father's  funeral. 

HAMLET. 

I  pray  thee,  do  not  mock  me,  fellow-student; 
I  think  it  was  to  see  my  mother's  wedding. 

HORATIO. 
Indeed,  my  lord,  it  follow'd  hard  upon. 

HAMLET. 

Thrift,  thrift,  Horatio !  the  funeral  baked-meats 
Did  coldly  furnish  forth  the  marriage  tables. 
Would  I  had  met  my  dearest  foe  in  heaven 
Or  ever  I  had  seen  that  day,  Horatio ! 
My  father ! — methinks  I  see  my  father. 

HORATIO.  . 

0  where,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
In  my  mind's  eye,  Horatio. 

HORATIO. 

1  saw  him  once ;  he  was  a  goodly  king. 

HAMLET. 

He  was  a  man,  take  him  for  all  in  all, 
I  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again. 

HORATIO. 
My  lord,  I  think  I  saw  him  yesternight. 

HAMLET. 
Saw?  Who? 

HORATIO. 
My  lord,  the  king  your  father. 


HAMLETojA  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

The  king  my  father ! 

HORATIO. 

Season  your  admiration  for  a  while 
With  an  attent  ear,  till  I  may  deliver, 
Upon  the  witness  of  these  gentlemen, 
This  marvel  to  you. 

HAMLET. 
For  God's  love,  let  me  hear. 

HORATIO. 

Two  nights  together  had  these  gentlemen, 
Marcellus  and  Bernardo,  on  their  watch, 
In  the  dead  vast  and  middle  of  the  night, 
Been  thus  encounter'd.    A  figure  like  your  father, 
Armed  at  point  exactly,  cap-a-pe, 
Appears  before  them,  and  with  solemn  march 
Goes  slow  and  stately  by  them :  thrice  he  walk'd 
By  their  oppress'd  and  fear-surprised  eyes, 
Within  his  truncheon's  length ;  whilst  they,  dis- 

till'd 

Almost  to  jelly  with  the  act  of  fear, 
Stand  dumb,  and  speak  not  to  him.     This  to  me 
In  dreadful  secrecy  impart  they  did ; 
And  I  with  them  the  third  night  kept  the  watch : 
Where,  as  they  had  deliver'd,  both  in  time, 
Form  of  the  thing,  each  word   made    true  and 

good, 

The  apparition  comes :  I  knew  your  father ; 
These  hands  are  not  more  like. 

HAMLET. 

But  where  was  this  ? 

MARCELLUS. 

My  lord,  upon  the  platform  where  we  watch'd. 

[16] 


ACT  ONEotSECOND  SCENE 

HAMLET. 
Did  you  not  speak  to  it  ? 

HORATIO. 

My  lord,  I  did, 

But  answer  made  it  none :  yet  once  methought 
It  lifted  up  its  head  and  did  address 
Itself  to  motion,  like  as  it  would  speak: 
But  even  then  the  morning  cock  crew  loud, 
And  at  the  sound  it  shrunk  in  haste  away 
And  vanish'd  from  our  sight. 

HAMLET. 

'Tis  very  strange. 

HORATIO. 

As  I  do  live,  my  honour'd  lord,  'tis  true, 
And  we  did  think  it  writ  down  in  our  duty 
To  let  you  know  of  it. 

HAMLET. 

Indeed,  indeed,  sirs,  but  this  troubles  me. 
Hold  you  the  watch  to-night  ? 

MARCELLUS  and  BERNARDO. 

We  do,  my  lord. 
HAMLET. 
Arm'd,  say  you  ? 

MARCELLUS  and  BERNARDO. 
Arm'd,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

From  top  to  toe  ? 

MARCELLUS  and  BERNARDO. 

My  lord,  from  head  to  foot. 

HAMLET. 
Then  saw  you  not  his  face  ? 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

HORATIO. 
O,  yes,  my  lord ;  he  wore  his  beaver  up. 

HAMLET. 
What,  look'd  he  frowningly? 

HORATIO. 
A  countenance  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger. 

HAMLET. 
Pale,  or  red? 

HORATIO. 
Nay,  very  pale. 

HAMLET. 
And  fix'd  his  eyes  upon  you  ? 

HORATIO. 
Most  constantly. 

HAMLET. 
I  would  I  had  been  there. 

HORATIO. 
It  would  have  much  amazed  you. 

HAMLET. 
Very  like,  very  like.  Stay'd  it  long? 

HORATIO. 

While  one  with  moderate  haste  might  tell  a  hun- 
dred. 

MARCELLUS  and  BERNARDO. 
Longer,  longer. 

HORATIO. 
Not  when  I  saw  Jt. 

HAMLET. 

His  beard  was  grizzled  ?  no  ? 
[18] 


ACT  ONEoeSECOND  SCENE 

HORATIO. 

It  was,  as  I  have  seen  it  in  his  life, 
A  sable  silver'd. 

HAMLET. 

I  will  watch  to-night; 
Perchance  'twill  walk  again. 

HORATIO. 

I  warrant  it  will. 

HAMLET. 

If  it  assume  my  noble  father's  person, 
I'll  speak  to  it,  though  hell  itself  should  gape 
And  bid  me  hold  my  peace.     I  pray  you  all, 
If  you  have  hitherto  conceal'd  this  sight, 
Let  it  be  tenable  in  your  silence  still, 
And  whatsoever  else  shall  hap  to-night, 
Give  it  an  understanding,  but  no  tongue  : 
I  will  requite  your  loves.     So  fare  you  well : 
Upon  the  platform,  'twixt  eleven  and  twelve, 
I'll  visit  you. 

ALL. 
Our  duty  to  your  honour. 

HAMLET. 
Your  loves,  as  mine  to  you :  farewell. 

(Exeunt  all  but  HAMLET.) 
My  father's  spirit  in  arms !  all  is  not  well ; 
I  doubt  some  foul  play :  would  the  night  were 

come ! 

Till  then  sit  still,  my  soul :  foul  deeds  will  rise, 
Though  all  the  earth  o'erwhelm  them,  to  men's 
eyes.  (Exif.) 


THE   THIRD   SCENE 

\A  room  in  the  house  of  POLONIUS  is  shown. 
LAERTES  and  OPHELIA  enter  from  the  first  door  at  the 
right  of  the  stage. .] 

LAERTES. 

JVl  Y  necessaries  are  embark'd :  farewell : 
And,  sister,  as  the  winds  give  benefit 
And  convoy  is  assistant,  do  not  sleep, 
But  let  me  hear  from  you. 

OPHELIA. 

Do  you  doubt  that  ? 

LAERTES. 

For  Hamlet,  and  the  trifling  of  his  favour, 
Hold  it  a  fashion,  and  a  toy  in  blood. 
He  may  not,  as  unvalued  persons  do, 
Carve  for  himself,  for  on  his  choice  depends 
The  safety  and  health  of  this  whole  state. 
Then   weigh   what   loss  your  honour  may  sus- 
tain, 

If  with  too  credent  ear  you  list  his  songs. 
Fear  it,  Ophelia,  fear  it,  my  dear  sister, 
And  keep  you  in  the  rear  of  your  affection, 
Out  of  the  shot  and  danger  of  desire. 
The  chariest  maid  is  prodigal  enough, 
If  she  unmask  her  beauty  to  the  moon. 

OPHELIA. 

I  shall  the  effect  of  this  good  lesson  keep, 
As    watchman    to    my    heart.     But,    good    my 

brother, 

Do  not,  as  some  ungracious  pastors  do, 
Show  me  the  steep  and  thorny  way  to  heaven, 
Whilst,  like  a  pufPd  and  reckless  libertine, 
Himself  the  primrose  path  of  dalliance  treads 
And  recks  not  his  own  rede. 

[20] 


ACT  ONE^THE  THIRD  SCENE 

LAERTES. 

O,  fear  me  not. 
I  stay  too  long:  but  here  my  father  comes. 

Enter  POLONIUS. 

POLONIUS. 

Yet  here,  Laertes !     Aboard,  aboard,  for  shame  ! 

The  wind  sits  in  the  shoulder  of  your  sail, 

And   you   are    stay'd  for.     There ;    my  blessing 

with  thee ! 

And  these  few  precepts  in  thy  memory 
Look   thou    character.      Give   thy   thoughts   no 

tongue, 

Nor  any  unproportion'd  thought  his  act. 
Be  thou  familiar,  but  by  no  means  vulgar. 
Those  friends  thou  hast,  and  their  adoption  tried, 
Grapple  them  to  thy  soul  with  hoops  of  steel, 
But  do  not  dull  thy  palm  with  entertainment 
Of  each  new-hatch'd    unfledged   comrade.     Be- 
ware 

Of  entrance  to  a  quarrel ;   but  being  in, 
Bear  't,  that  the  opposed  may  beware  of  thee. 
Give  every  man  thy  ear,  but  few  thy  voice : 
Take  each  man's  censure,  but  reserve  thy  judg- 
ment. 

Costly  thy  habit  as  thy  purse  can  buy, 
But  not  express'd  in  fancy ;  rich,  not  gaudy  : 
For  the  apparel  oft  proclaims  the  man  ; 
And  they  in  France  of  the  best  rank  and  station 
Are  of  a  most  select  and  generous  chief  in  that. 
Neither  a  borrower  nor  a  lender  be : 
For  loan  oft  loses  both  itself  and  friend, 
And  borrowing  dulls  the  edge  of  husbandry. 
This  above  all :  to  thine  own  self  be  true, 
And  it  must  follow,  as  the  night  the  day, 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man. 
Farewell :     my  blessing  season  this  in  thee ! 

[21] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

LAERTES. 
Most  humbly  do  I  take  my  leave,  my  lord. 

POLONIUS. 
The  time  invites  you ;  go,  your  servants  tend. 

LAERTES. 

Farewell,  Ophelia,  and  remember  well 
What  I  have  said  to  you. 

OPHELIA. 

'Tis  in  my  memory  lock'd, 
And  you  yourself  shall  keep  the  key  of  it. 

LAERTES. 
Farewell.  (Exit.) 

POLONIUS. 
What  is't,  Ophelia,  he  hath  said  to  you  *? 

OPHELIA. 

So   please   you,    something   touching   the    Lord 
Hamlet. 

POLONIUS. 

Marry,  well  bethought : 
'Tis  told  me,  he  hath  very  oft  of  late 
Given  private  time  to  you,  and  you  yourself 
Have  of  your  audience  been  most  free  and  boun- 
teous : 

If  it  be  so — as  so  'tis  put  on  me, 
And  that  in  way  of  caution — I  must  tell  you, 
You  do  not  understand  yourself  so  clearly 
As  it  behoves  my  daughter  and  your  honour. 
What  is  between  you  ?  give  me  up  the  truth. 

OPHELIA. 

He  hath,  my  lord,  of  late  made  many  tenders 
Of  his  affection  to  me. 

[22] 


ACT  ONEoeTHE  THIRD  SCENE 

POLONIUS. 

Affection !  pooh !  you  speak  like  a  green  girl, 

Unsifted  in  such  perilous  circumstance. 

Do  you  believe  his  tenders,  as  you  call  them  ? 

OPHELIA. 
I  do  not  know,  my  lord,  what  I  should  think. 

POLONIUS. 

Marry,  I'll  teach  you :  think  yourself  a  baby, 
That  you  have  ta'en  these  tenders  for  true  pay, 
Which  are  not  sterling.     Tender  yourself  more 

dearly ; 
Or  you'll  tender  me  a  fool. 

OPHELIA. 

My  lord,  he  hath  importuned  me  with  love 
In  honourable  fashion. 

POLONIUS. 
Ay,  fashion  you  may  call  it;  go  to,  go  to. 

OPHELIA. 
And  hath  given  countenance  to  his  speech,  my 

lord, 
With  almost  all  the  holy  vows  of  heaven. 

POLONIUS. 

Ay,  springes  to  catch  woodcocks.     I  do  know, 
When  the  blood  burns,  how  prodigal  the  soul 
Lends  the  tongue  vows. 

This  is  for  all : 

I  would  not,  in  plain  terms,  from  this  time  forth, 
Have  you  so  slander  any  moment  leisure, 
As  to  give  words  or  talk  with  the  Lord  Hamlet. 
Look  to  't,  I  charge  you :  come  your  ways. 

OPHELIA. 
I  shall  obey,  my  lord.  (Exeunt) 

[23] 


THE  FOURTH  SCENE 


action  of  this  scene  passes  on  the  same  plat- 
form that  was  shown  in  the  first  scene  of  this  act. 
HAMLET  and  HORATIO  appear  from  the  first  entrance 
on  the  right  and  approach  MARCELLUS,  who  is  on 
guard.  HORATIO  stops  at  the  left  of  the  platform, 
and  looks  out  over  the  battlements  ^\ 

HAMLET. 
1  HE  air  bites  shrewdly  ;  it  is  very  cold. 

HORATIO. 
It  is  a  nipping  and  an  eager  air. 

HAMLET. 
What  hour  now  ? 

HORATIO. 
I  think  it  lacks  of  twelve. 

MARCELLUS. 
No,  it  is  struck. 

HORATIO. 
Indeed  ?  I  heard  it  not  :  it  then  draws  near  the 

season 
Wherein  the  spirit  held  his  wont  to  walk. 

(A  flourish  of  trumpets,  and  ordnance  shot  off 

within?) 
What  doth  this  mean,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

The  king  doth  wake  to-night  and  takes  his  rouse, 
Keeps   wassail,   and   the    swaggering    up-spring 

reels  ; 

And  as  he  drains  his  draughts  of  Rhenish  down, 
The  kettle-drum  and  trumpet  thus  bray  out 
The  triumph  of  his  pledge. 

HORATIO. 

Is  it  a  custom  ? 

[24] 


ACT  ONE^FOURTH  SCENE 

HAMLET. 
Ay,  marry,  is't: 

But  to  my  mind,  though  I  am  native  here 
And  to  the  manner  born,  it  is  a  custom 
More  honoured  in  the  breach  than  the  observance. 

Enter  GHOST. 

HORATIO. 
Look,  my  lord,  it  comes ! 

HAMLET. 

Angels  and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us ! 
Be  thou  a  spirit  of  health  or  goblin  damn'd, 
Bring  with  thee  airs  from  heaven  or  blasts  from 

hell, 

Be  thy  intents  wicked  or  charitable, 
Thou  comest  in  such  a  questionable  shape 
That  I  will  speak  to  thee  :  I'll  call  thee  Hamlet, 
King,  father,  royal  Dane :  O,  answer  me ! 
Let  me  not  burst  in  ignorance ;  but  tell 
Why  thy  canonized  bones,  hearsed  in  death, 
Have  burst  their  cerements;  why  the  sepulchre, 
Wherein  we  saw  thee  quietly  inurn'd, 
Hath  oped  his  ponderous  and  marble  jaws, 
To  cast  thee  up  again.     What  may  this  mean, 
That  thou,  dead  corse,  again,  in  complete  steel, 
Revisit'st  thus  the  glimpses  of  the  moon, 
Making  night  hideous;  and  we  fools  of  nature 
So  horridly  to  shake  our  disposition 
With  thoughts  beyond  the  reaches  of  our  souls'? 
Say,  why  is  this  ?  wherefore  ?  what  should  we  do  ? 

(GHOST  beckons  HAMLET.) 

HORATIO. 

It  beckons  you  to  go  away  with  it, 
As  if  it  some  impartment  did  desire 
To  you  alone. 

[25] 


HAMLETotA    TRAGEDY 

MARCELLUS. 

Look,  with  what  courteous  action 
It  waves  you  to  a  more  removed  ground : 
But  do  not  go  with  it. 

HORATIO. 

No,  by  no  means. 

HAMLET. 
It  will  not  speak ;  then  I  will  follow  it. 

HORATIO. 
Do  not,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Why,  what  should  be  the  fear  ? 
I  do  not  set  my  life  at  a  pin's  fee ; 
And  for  my  soul,  what  can  it  do  to  that, 
Being  a  thing  immortal  as  itself? 
It  waves  me  forth  again :  I'll  follow  it. 

HORATIO. 

What  if  it  tempt  you  toward  the  flood,  my  lord, 
Or  to  the  dreadful  summit  of  the  cliff, 
And  there  assume  some  other  horrible  form, 
And  draw  you  into  madness  ? 

HAMLET. 

It  waves  me  still. 
Go  on ;  I'll  follow  thee. 

MARCELLUS. 
You  shall  not  go,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Hold  off  your  hands. 

HORATIO. 
Be  ruled ;  you  shall  not  go. 

HAMLET. 

My  fate  cries  out, 
And  makes  each  petty  artery  in  this  body 

[26] 


ACT  ONEotFOURTH  SCENE 

As  hardy  as  the  Nemean  lion's  nerve. 

Still  am  I  call'd  :  unhand  me,  gentlemen  ; 

By  heaven,  I'll  make  a  ghost  of  him  that  let's  me : 

I  say,  away !     Go  on ;  I'll  follow  thee. 

(Exeunt  GHOST  and  HAMLET.) 

MARCELLUS. 

Let's  follow ;  'tis  not  fit  thus  to  obey  him. 
Something  is  rotten  in  the  state  of  Denmark. 

HORATIO. 
Heaven  will  direct  it. 

MARCELLUS. 

Nay,  let's  follow  him. 

(Exeunt.) 


[27] 


THE  FIFTH  SCENE 

{A  more  remote  part  of  the  same  platform  to  which 
the  GHOST  has  led  HAMLET.] 

HAMLET. 

WHITHER  wilt  thou  lead  me  ?  speak ;  I'll  go 
no  further. 

GHOST. 
Mark  me. 

HAMLET. 
I  will. 

GHOST. 

My  hour  is  almost  come, 
When  I  to  sulphurous  and  tormenting  flames 
Must  render  up  myself. 

HAMLET. 

Alas,  poor  ghost ! 

GHOST. 

Pity  me  not,  but  lend  thy  serious  hearing 
To  what  I  shall  unfold. 

HAMLET. 
Speak ;  I  am  bound  to  hear. 

GHOST. 
So  art  thou  to  revenge,  when  thou  shalt  hear. 

HAMLET. 
What1? 

GHOST. 

I  am  thy  father's  spirit; 

Doom'd  for  a  certain  term  to  walk  the  night, 
And  for  the  day  confined  to  fast  in  fires, 
Till  the  foul  crimes  done  in  my  days  of  nature 
Are  burnt  and  purged  away.     But  that  I  am  for- 
bid 

[28] 


ACT  ONE^THE  FIFTH  SCENE 

To  tell  the  secrets  of  my  prison-house, 
I  could  a  tale  unfold  whose  lightest  word 
Would  harrow  up   thy  soul,  freeze  thy  young 

blood, 
Make  thy  two  eyes,  like  stars,  start  from  their 

spheres, 

Thy  knotted  and  combined  locks  to  part 
And  each  particular  hair  to  stand  on  end, 
Like  quills  upon  the  fretful  porpentine : 
But  this  eternal  blazon  must  not  be 
To  ears  of  flesh  and  blood.     List,  list,  O,  list ! 
If  thou  didst  ever  thy  dear  father  love— 

HAMLET. 
OGod! 

GHOST. 
Revenge  his  foul  and  most  unnatural  murder. 

HAMLET. 
Murder ! 

GHOST. 

Murder  most  foul,  as  in  the  best  it  is, 
But  this  most  foul,  strange,  and  unnatural. 

HAMLET. 

Haste  me  to  know  't,  that  I,  with  wings  as  swift 
As  meditation  or  the  thoughts  of  love, 
May  sweep  to  my  revenge. 

GHOST. 

I  find  thee  apt. 
Now,  Hamlet,  hear : 

'Tis  given  out  that,  sleeping  in  my  orchard, 
A  serpent  stung  me ;  so  the  whole  ear  of  Denmark 
Is  by  a  forged  process  of  my  death 
Rankly  abused :  but  know,  thou  noble  youth, 
The  serpent  that  did  sting  thy  father's  life 
Now  wears  his  crown. 

[29] 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

O  my  prophetic  soul ! 
My  uncle! 

GHOST. 

Ay,  that  incestuous,  that  adulterate  beast, 
With  witchcraft  of  his  wit,  with  traitorous  gifts, — 
Won  to  his  shameful  lust 
The  will  of  my  most  seeming-virtuous  queen: 

0  Hamlet,  what  a  falling-off  was  there ! 
From  me,  whose  love  was  of  that  dignity 
That  it  went  hand  in  hand  even  with  the  vow 

1  made  to  her  in  marriage  ;  and  to  decline 
Upon  a  wretch,  whose  natural  gifts  were  poor 
To  those  of  mine  ! 

But,  soft !  methinks  I  scent  the  morning  air ; 
Brief  let  me  be.     Sleeping  within  my  orchard, 
My  custom  always  of  the  afternoon, 
Upon  my  secure  hour  thy  uncle  stole, 
With  juice  of  cursed  hebenon  in  a  vial, 
And  in  the  porches  of  my  ears  did  pour 
The  leperous  distilment;  whose  effect 
Holds  such  an  enmity  with  blood  of  man 
That  swift  as  quicksilver  it  courses  through 
The  natural  gates  and  alleys  of  the  body ; 
So  did  it  mine. 

Thus  was  I,  sleeping,  by  a  brother's  hand 
Of  life,  of  crown,  of  queen,  at  once  dispatched : 
Cut  off  even  in  the  blossoms  of  my  sin, 
No  reckoning  made,  but  sent  to  my  account 
With  all  my  imperfections  on  my  head. 

HAMLET. 
O,  horrible !  O,  horrible  !  most  horrible ! 

GHOST. 

If  thou  hast  nature  in  thee,  bear  it  not; 
Let  not  the  royal  bed  of  Denmark  be 
A  couch  for  luxury  and  damned  incest. 

[30] 


ACT  ONE**THE  FIFTH  SCENE 

But,  howsoever  thou  pursuest  this  act, 
Taint  not  thy  mind,  nor  let  thy  soul  contrive 
Against  thy  mother  aught :  leave  her  to  heaven, 
And  to  those  thorns  that  in  her  bosom  lodge, 
To  prick  and  sting  her.     Fare  thee  well  at  once  ! 
The  glow-worm  shows  the  matin  to  be  near, 
And  'gins  to  pale  his  uneffectual  fire  : 
Adieu,  adieu,  adieu !  remember  me.  (Exit.) 

HAMLET. 

O  all  you  host  of  heaven !     O  earth !  what  else  *? 
And  shall  I  couple  hell  <?     O,  fie  !   Hold,  hold,  my 

heart ; 

And  you,  my  sinews,  grow  not  instant  old, 
But  bear  me  stiffly  up.     Remember  thee  ! 
Ay,  thou  poor  ghost,  while  memory  holds  a  seat 
In  this  distracted  globe.     Remember  thee  ! 
Yea,  from  the  table  of  my  memory 
I'll  wipe  away  all  trivial  fond  records, 
All  saws  of  books,  all  forms,  all  pressures  past, 
That  youth  and  observation  copied  there ; 
And  thy  commandment  all  alone  shall  live 
Within  the  book  and  volume  of  my  brain, 
Unmix'd  with  baser  matter :  yes,  by  heaven ! 
O  most  pernicious  woman ! 

0  villain,  villain,  smiling,  damned  villain ! 
My  tables, — meet  it  is  I  set  it  down, 

That  one  may  smile,   and  smile,  and  be  a  vil- 
lain; 
At  least  I'm  sure  it  may  be  so  in  Denmark. 

(Writing) 

So,  uncle,  there  you  are.     Now  to  my  word  ; 
It  is  "Adieu,  adieu  !  remember  me." 

1  have  sworn't. 

HORATIO  and  MARCELLUS.     (Within?) 
My  lord,  my  lord  ! 


HAMLET^tA   TRAGEDY 

Enter  HORATIO  and  MARCELLUS. 

MARCELLUS. 

Lord  Hamlet ! 

HORATIO. 

Heaven  secure  him ! 

HAMLET. 
So  be  it ! 

MARCELLUS. 

Illo,  ho,  ho,  my  lord ! 

HAMLET. 
Hillo,  ho,  ho,  boy !  come,  bird,  come. 

MARCELLUS. 
How  is't,  my  noble  lord? 

HORATIO. 

What  news,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
O,  wonderful! 

HORATIO. 
Good  my  lord,  tell  it. 

HAMLET. 

No ;  you  will  reveal  it. 

HORATIO. 
Not  I,  my  lord,  by  heaven. 

MARCELLUS. 

Nor  I,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
How  say  you,  then ;  would  heart  of  man  once 

think  it  ? 
But  you'll  be  secret  *? 

HORATIO  and  MARCELLUS. 

Ay,  by  heaven,  my  lord. 

[32] 


ACT  ONE^THE  FIFTH  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

There's  ne'er  a  villain  dwelling  in  all  Denmark 
But  he's  an  arrant  knave. 

HORATIO. 
There  needs  no  ghost,  my  lord,  come  from  the 

grave 
To  tell  us  this. 

HAMLET. 

Why,  right ;  you  are  i'  the  right ; 
And  so,  without  more  circumstance  at  all, 
I  hold  it  fit  that  we  shake  hands  and  part : 
You,  as  your  business  and  desire  shall  point  you ; 
For  every  man  hath  business  and  desire, 
Such  as  it  is ;  and  for  my  own  poor  part, 
Look  you,  I'll  go  pray. 

HORATIO. 
These  are  but  wild  and  whirling  words,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

I'm  sorry  they  offend  you,  heartily ; 
Yes,  faith,  heartily. 

HORATIO. 
There's  no  offence,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Yes,  by  Saint  Patrick,  but  there  is,  Horatio, 
And    much    offence   too.     Touching  this  vision 

here, 

It  is  an  honest  ghost,  that  let  me  tell  you : 
For  your  desire  to  know  what  is  between  us, 
O'ermaster  't  as  you  may.    And  now,  good  friends, 
As  you  are  friends,  scholars  and  soldiers, 
Give  me  one  poor  request. 

HORATIO. 
What  is't,  my  lord  *?  we  will. 

[33] 


HAMLET**A   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 
Never  make  known  what  you  have  seen  to-night. 

HORATIO  and  MARCELLUS. 
My  lord,  we  will  not. 

HAMLET. 

Nay,  but  swear't. 

HORATIO. 

In  faith, 
My  lord,  not  I. 

MARCELLUS. 
Nor  I,  my  lord,  in  faith. 

HAMLET. 
Upon  my  sword. 

MARCELLUS. 
We  have  sworn,  my  lord,  already. 

HAMLET. 
Indeed,  upon  my  sword,  indeed. 

GHOST.     (Beneath^) 
Swear. 

HAMLET. 

Ah,  ha,  boy  !  say'st  thou  so  *?  art  thou  there,  true- 
penny ? 

Come  on  :  you  hear  this  fellow  in  the  cellarage  : 
Consent  to  swear. 

HORATIO. 

Propose  the  oath,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Never  to  speak  of  this  that  you  have  seen, 
Swear  by  my  sword. 

GHOST.     (Beneath?) 
Swear. 

[34] 


ACT  ONEotTHE  FIFTH  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

Hie  et  ubique  ?  then  we'll  shift  our  ground. 
Come  hither,  gentlemen, 
And  lay  your  hands  again  upon  my  sword  : 
Never  to  speak  of  this  that  you  have  heard, 
Swear  by  my  sword. 

GHOST.     (Beneath.) 
Swear. 

HAMLET. 
Well  said,  old  mole !  canst  work  i'  the  earth  so 

fast? 

A  worthy   pioner !     Once   more   remove,   good 
friends. 

HORATIO. 
O  day  and  night,  but  this  is  wondrous  strange ! 

HAMLET. 

And  therefore  as  a  stranger  give  it  welcome. 
There    are   more   things   in   heaven   and   earth, 

Horatio, 

Than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy. 
But  come ; 

Here,  as  before,  never,  so  help  you  mercy, 
How  strange  or  odd  soe'er  I  bear  myself, 
As  I  perchance  hereafter  shall  think  meet 
To  put  an  antic  disposition  on, 
That  you,  at  such  times  seeing  me,  never  shall, 
With  arms  encumber'd  thus,  or  this  head-shake, 
Or  by  pronouncing  of  some  doubtful  phrase, 
As  "  Well,  well,  we  know,"  or  "  We  could,  an 

if  we  would," 
Or  "  If  we  list  to  speak,"  or  "  There  be,  an  if  they 

might," 

Or  such  ambiguous  giving  out,  to  note 
That  you  know  aught  of  me  :  this  not  to  do, 

[35] 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

So  grace  and  mercy  at  your  most  need  help  you, 
Swear. 

GHOST.     (Beneath) 
Swear. 

HAMLET. 

Rest,  rest,  perturbed  spirit!    (tfhey  swear)     So, 

gentlemen, 

With  all  my  love  I  do  commend  me  to  you : 
And  what  so  poor  a  man  as  Hamlet  is 
May  do,  to  express  his  love  and  friending  to  you, 
God  willing,  shall  not  lack.     Let  us  go  in  to- 
gether ; 

And  still  your  fingers  on  your  lips,  I  pray. 
The  time  is  out  of  joint :  O  cursed  spite, 
That  ever  I  was  born  to  set  it  right ! 
Nay,  come,  let's  go  together.  (Exeunt) 


[36] 


ACT    TWO 


THE  FIRST  SCENE 


stage  throughout  this  act  is  set  to  represent  a 
room  of  state  in  the  Castle^ 

Enter  POLONIUS  and  REYNALDO 

POLONIUS. 

VjIVE  him  this  money  and  these  notes,  Rey- 
naldo. 

REYNALDO. 
I  will,  my  lord. 

POLONIUS. 

You  shall  do  marvellous  wisely,  good  Reynaldo, 
Before  you  visit  him,  to  make  inquire 
Of  his  behaviour. 

REYNALDO. 
My  lord,  I  did  intend  it. 

POLONIUS. 
Observe  his  inclination  in  yourself. 

REYNALDO. 
I  shall,  my  lord. 

POLONIUS. 
And  let  him  ply  his  music. 

REYNALDO. 

Well,  my  lord. 
POLONIUS. 
Farewell  !  (Exit  REYNALDO.) 

Enter  OPHELIA. 
How  now,  Ophelia  !  what's  the  matter*? 

OPHELIA. 
O,  my  lord,  my  lord,  I  have  been  so  affrighted  ! 

POLONIUS. 
With  what,  i'  the  name  of  God? 

[39] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

OPHELIA. 

My  lord,  as  I  was  sewing  in  my  closet, 
Lord  Hamlet,  with  his  doublet  all  unbraced, 
No  hat  upon  his  head, 

Pale  as  his  shirt,  his  knees  knocking  each  other, 
And  with  a  look  so  piteous  in  purport 
As  if  he  had  been  loosed  out  of  hell 
To  speak  of  horrors,  he  comes  before  me. 

POLONIUS. 
Mad  for  thy  love  ? 

OPHELIA. 

My  lord,  I  do  not  know, 
But  truly  I  do  fear  it. 

POLONIUS. 

What  said  he  <? 

OPHELIA. 

He  took  me  by  the  wrist  and  held  me  hard ; 
Then  goes  he  to  the  length  of  all  his  arm, 
And  with  his  other  hand  thus  o'er  his  brow, 
He  falls  to  such  perusal  of  my  face 
As  he  would  draw  it.     Long  stay'd  he  so; 
At  last,  a  little  shaking  of  mine  arm, 
And  thrice  his  head  thus  waving  up  and  down, 
He  raised  a  sigh  so  piteous  and  profound 
As  it  did  seem  to  shatter  all  his  bulk 
And  end  his  being :  that  done,  he  lets  me  go : 
And  with  his  head  over  his  shoulder  turn'd, 
He  seerrfd  to  find  his  way  without  his  eyes ; 
For  out  o'  doors  he  went  without  their  helps, 
And  to  the  last  bended  their  light  on  me.     • 

POLONIUS. 

Come,  go  with  me  :  I  will  go  seek  the  king. 
This  is  the  very  ecstasy  of  love ; 
Whose  violent  property  fordoes  itself 

[40] 


ACT  TWOotTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

And  leads  the  will  to  desperate  undertakings. 

I  am  sorry. 

What,  have  you  given  him  any  hard  words  of 

late? 

OPHELIA. 

No,  my  good  lord,  but,  as  you  did  command, 
I  did  repel  his  letters  and  denied 
His  access  to  me. 

POLONIUS. 

That  hath  made  him  mad. 
I  am  sorry  that  with  better  heed  and  judgment 
I  had  not  quoted  him. 
Come,  go  we  to  the  king : 
This  must  be  known ;  which,  being  kept  close, 

might  move 

More  grief  to  hide  than  hate  to  utter  love. 
Come.  (Exeunt.) 

Flourish.  Enter  KING,  QUEEN,  ROSENCRANTZ,  GUIL- 
DENSTERN,  and  ATTENDANTS. 

KING. 

Welcome,  dear  Rosencrantz  and  Guildenstern ! 
Moreover  that  we  much  did  long  to  see  you, 
The  need  we  have  to  use  you  did  provoke 
Our  hasty  sending.     Something  have  you  heard 
Of  Hamlet's  transformation. 

What  it  should  be, 

More  than  his  father's  death,  that  thus  hath  put  him 
So  much  from  the  understanding  of  himself, 
I  cannot  dream  of:  I  entreat  you  both, 
That  you  vouchsafe  your  rest  here  in  our  court 
Some  little  time :  so  by  your  companies 
To  draw  him  on  to  pleasures,  and  to  gather 
So  much  as  from  occasion  you  may  glean, 
Whether  aught  to  us  unknown  afflicts  him  thus, 
That  open'd  lies  within  our  remedy. 


HAMLETosA   TRAGEDY 

QUEEN. 

Good  gentlemen,  he  hath  much  talk'd  of  you, 
And  sure  I  am  two  men  there  are  not  living 
To  whom  he  more  adheres.     If  it  will  please  you 
To  show  us  so  much  gentry  and  good  will 
As  to  expend  your  time  with  us  a  while 
For  the  supply  and  profit  of  our  hope, 
Your  visitation  shall  receive  such  thanks 
As  fits  a  king's  remembrance. 

Go,  some  of  you, 
And  bring  these  gentlemen  where  Hamlet  is. 

(Exeunt    ROSENCRANTZ,   GUILDENSTERN,   and 

some  ATTENDANTS.) 

Enter  POLONIUS. 

POLONIUS. 

I  do  think,  or  else  this  brain  of  mine 
Hunts  not  the  trail  of  policy  so  sure 
As  it  hath  used  to  do,  that  I  have  found 
The  very  cause  of  Hamlet's  lunacy. 

KING. 
O,  speak  of  that ;  that  do  I  long  to  hear. 

POLONIUS. 

My  liege  and  madam, 

I  have  a  daughter, — have  while  she  is  mine, — 
Who  in  her  duty  and  obedience,  mark, 
Hath  given  me  this :  now  gather  and  surmise. 
(Reads) 

"  To  the  celestial,  and  my  soul's  idol,  the  most 
beautified  Ophelia," — 

That's  an  ill  phrase,  a  vile  phrase ;  "  beautified  " 
is  a  vile  phrase :  but  you  shall  hear.  Thus : 
(Reads.) 

"  In  her  excellent  white  bosom,  these,"  etc. 
[42] 


ACT  TWOotTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

QUEEN. 
Came  this  from  Hamlet  to  her  ? 

POLONIUS. 

Good  madam,  stay  a  while ;  I  will  be  faithful. 
(Reads) 

"  Doubt  thou  the  stars  are  fire ; 

Doubt  that  the  sun  doth  move ; 
Doubt  truth  to  be  a  liar ; 
But  never  doubt  I  love. 

"  O  dear  Ophelia,  I  am  ill  at  these  numbers ;  I 
have  not  art  to  reckon  my  groans  :  but  that  I 
love  thee  best,  O  most  best,  believe  it.  Adieu. 

"  Thine  evermore,  most  dear  lady,  whilst  this 
machine  is  to  him,  HAMLET." 

This  in  obedience  hath  my  daughter  shown  me. 
And  my  young  mistress  thus  I  did  bespeak : 
"  Lord  Hamlet  is  a  prince,  out  of  thy  star ; 
This  must  not  be : "  and  then  I  prescripts  gave 

her, 

That  she  should  lock  herself  from  his  resort, 
Admit  no  messengers,  receive  no  tokens. 
Which  done,  she  took  the  fruits  of  my  advice ; 
And  he  repulsed,  a  short  tale  to  make, 
Fell  into  a  sadness,  then  into  a  fast, 
Thence  to  a  watch,  thence  into  a  weakness, 
Thence  to  a  lightness,  and  by  this  declension 
Into  the  madness  wherein  now  he  raves 
And  all  we  mourn  for. 

KING. 

Do  you  think  this"? 

QUEEN. 

It  may  be,  very  like. 

[43] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

POLONIUS. 

Hath  there  been  such  a  time,  I'd  fain  know  that, 
That  I  have  positively  said  "  'tis  so," 
When  it  proved  otherwise  ? 

KING. 

Not  that  I  know. 

POLONIUS.     (Pointing  to  his  head  and  shoulder?) 
Take  this  from  this,  if  this  be  otherwise : 
If  circumstances  lead  me,  I  will  find 
Where  truth  is  hid,  though  it  were  hid  indeed 
Within  the  centre. 

KING. 
How  may  we  try  it  further  ? 

POLONIUS. 

You  know,  sometimes  he  walks  four  hours  together 
Here  in  the  lobby. 

QUEEN. 
So  he  does,  indeed. 

POLONIUS. 

At  such  a  time  I'll  loose  my  daughter  to  him : 
Be  you  and  I  behind  an  arras  then ; 
Mark  the  encounter :  if  he  love  her  not, 
And  be  not  from  his  reason  fall'n  thereon, 
Let  me  be  no  assistant  for  a  state, 
But  keep  a  farm  and  carters. 

KING. 

We  will  try  it. 
QUEEN. 

But   look  where   sadly  the   poor  wretch   comes 
reading. 

POLONIUS. 

Away,  I  do  beseech  you,  both  away : 
I'll  board  him  presently. 

(Exeunt  KING,  QUEEN,  and  ATTENDANTS.) 

[44] 


ACT  TWOo«THE  FIRST  SCENE 

Enter  HAMLET,  reading. 

O,  give    me    leave :   how  does   my  good  Lord 
Hamlet? 

HAMLET. 
Well,  God-a-mercy. 

POLONIUS. 
Do  you  know  me,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Excellent  well ;  you  are  a  fishmonger. 

POLONIUS. 
Not  I,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
Then  I  would  you  were  so  honest  a  man. 

POLONIUS. 
Honest,  my  lord ! 

HAMLET. 

Ay,  sir;  to  be  honest,  as  this  world  goes,  is  to 
be  one  man  picked  out  of  ten  thousand. 

POLONIUS. 
That's  very  true,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

For  if  the  sun  breed  maggots  in  a  dead  dog, 
being  a  god  kissing  carrion  —  Have  you  a 
daughter  *? 

POLONIUS. 
I  have,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Let  her  not  walk  i'  the  sun:  conception  is  a 
blessing ;  but  as  your  daughter  may  conceive, — 
friend,  look  to  Jt. 

[45] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

POLONIUS.     (Aside.) 

How  say  you  by  that  ?  Still  harping  on  my 
daughter :  yet  he  knew  me  not  at  first ;  he  said 
I  was  a  fishmonger  :  he  is  far  gone  :  and  truly  in 
my  youth  I  suffered  much  extremity  for  love ; 
very  near  this.  I'll  speak  to  him  again. — What 
do  you  read,  my  lord  *? 

HAMLET. 
Words,  words,  words. 

POLONIUS. 
What  is  the  matter,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Between  who  ? 

POLONIUS. 
I  mean,  the  matter  that  you  read,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Slanders,  sir :  for  the  satirical  rogue  says  here 
that  old  men  have  grey  beards,  that  their  faces 
are  wrinkled,  their  eyes  purging  thick  amber  and 
plum-tree  gum,  and  that  they  have  a  plentiful 
lack  of  wit,  together  with  most  weak  hams :  all 
which,  sir,  though  I  most  powerfully  and  potently 
believe,  yet  I  hold  it  not  honesty  to  have  it  thus 
set  down ;  for  yourself,  sir,  shall  grow  old  as  I  am, 
if  like  a  crab  you  could  go  backward. 

POLONIUS.     (Aside) 

Though  this  be  madness,  yet  there  is  method 
in  't. — Will  you  walk  out  of  the  air,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Into  my  grave. 

POLONIUS. 

Indeed,  that's  out  of  the  air.  (Aside.)  How 
pregnant  sometimes  his  replies  are  !  a  happiness 

[46] 


ACT  TWO^tTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

that  often  madness  hits  on,  which  reason  and  sanity 
could  not  so  prosperously  be  delivered  of.  I  will 
leave  him,  and  suddenly  contrive  the  means  of 
meeting  between  him  and  my  daughter. — My 
honourable  lord,  I  will  most  humbly  take  my 
leave  of  you. 

HAMLET. 

You  cannot,  sir,  take  from  me  any  thing  that 
I  will  more  willingly  part  withal:  except  my 
life,  except  my  life,  except  my  life.  (Down  L.) 

POLONIUS. 
Fare  you  well,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
These  tedious  old  fools ! 

Enter  ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN. 

POLONIUS. 
You  go  to  seek  the  Lord  Hamlet ;  there  he  is. 

ROSENCRANTZ.      (ffo  POLONIUS.) 
God  save  you,  sir!  (Exit  POLONIUS.) 

GUILDENSTERN. 
My  honoured  lord ! 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
My  most  dear  lord ! 

HAMLET. 

My  excellent  good  friends !  How  dost  thou, 
Guildenstern  ?  Ah,  Rosencrantz !  Good  lads, 
how  do  you  both*?  What's  the  news? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

None,  my  lord,  but  that  the  world's  grown 
honest. 

[47] 


HAMLETo«A   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

Then  is  doomsday  near :  but  your  news  is  not 
true.  What  have  you,  my  good  friends,  deserved 
at  the  hands  of  Fortune,  that  she  sends  you  to 
prison  hither^ 

GuiLDENSTERN. 

Prison,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Denmark's  a  prison. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

We  think  not  so,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Why,  then  'tis  none  to  you  ;  for  there  is  noth- 
ing either  good  or  bad,  but  thinking  makes  it  so  : 
to  me  it  is  a  prison. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Why,  then  your  ambition  makes  it  one ;  'tis 
too  narrow  for  your  mind. 

HAMLET. 

O  God,  I  could  be  bounded  in  a  nut-shell  and 
count  myself  a  king  of  infinite  space,  were  it  not 
that  I  have  bad  dreams. 

GUILDENSTERN. 

Which  dreams  indeed  are  ambition;  for  the 
very  substance  of  the  ambitious  is  merely  the 
shadow  of  a  dream. 

HAMLET. 
A  dream  itself  is  but  a  shadow. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Truly,  and  I  hold  ambition  of  so  airy  and  light 
a  quality  that  it  is  but  a  shadow's  shadow. 

[48] 


ACT  TWO^THE  FIRST  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

Then  are  our  beggars  bodies,  and  our  monarchs 
and  outstretched  heroes  the  beggars'  shadows. 
Shall  we  to  the  court?  for,  by  my  fay,  I  cannot 
reason. 

ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN. 

We'll  wait  upon  you. 

HAMLET. 

No  such  matter :  I  will  not  sort  you  with  the 
rest  of  my  servants ;  for,  to  speak  to  you  like  an 
honest  man,  I  am  most  dreadfully  attended.  But, 
in  the  beaten  way  of  friendship,  what  make  you 
at  Elsinore  *? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
To  visit   you,  my   lord;    no   other   occasion. 

HAMLET. 

Beggar  that  I  am,  I  am  even  poor  in  thanks ; 
but  I  thank  you :  and  sure,  dear  friends,  my 
thanks  are  too  dear  a  halfpenny.  Were  you  not 
sent  for  ?  Is  it  your  own  inclining  *?  Is  it  a  free 
visitation  ?  Come,  deal  justly  with  me :  come, 
come;  nay,  speak. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
What  should  we  say,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

Why,  any  thing,  but  to  the  purpose.  You  were 
sent  for;  and  there  is  a  kind  of  confession  in  your 
looks,  which  your  modesties  have  not  craft  enough 
to  colour :  I  know  the  good  king  and  queen  have 
sent  for  you. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
To  what  end,  my  lord  ? 

[491 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

That  you  must  teach  me.  But  let  me  con- 
jure you,  by  the  rights  of  our  fellowship,  by  the 
consonancy  of  our  youth,  by  the  obligation  of 
our  ever-preserved  love,  and  by  what  more  dear 
a  better  proposer  could  charge  you  withal,  be  even 
and  direct  with  me,  whether  you  were  sent  for,  or 
no. 

ROSENCRANTZ.      (Aside  tO  GUILDENSTERN.) 

What  say  you  *? 

HAMLET.     (Aside.) 

Nay  then,  I  have  an  eye  of  you. — If  you  love 
me,  hold  not  off. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
My  lord,  we  were  sent  for. 

HAMLET. 

I  will  tell  you  why;  so  shall  my  anticipation 
prevent  your  discovery,  and  your  secrecy  to  the 
king  and  queen  moult  no  feather.  I  have  of  late 
— but  wherefore  I  know  not — lost  all  my  mirth, 
forgone  all  custom  of  exercises ;  and  indeed  it  goes 
so  heavily  with  my  disposition  that  this  goodly 
frame,  the  earth,  seems  to  me  a  sterile  promontory ; 
this  most  excellent  canopy,  the  air,  look  you,  this 
brave  o'erhanging  firmament,  this  majestical  roof 
fretted  with  golden  fire,  why,  it  appears  no  other 
thing  to  me  than  a  foul  and  pestilent  congregation 
of  vapours.  What  a  piece  of  work  is  a  man !  how 
noble  in  reason !  how  infinite  in  faculty  !  in  form 
and  moving  how  express  and  admirable  !  in  action 
how  like  an  angel !  in  apprehension  how  like  a 
god  !  the  beauty  of  the  world !  the  paragon  of 
animals  !  And  yet,  to  me,  what  is  this  quintes- 
sence of  dust  *?  man  delights  not  me ;  no,  nor 

[50] 


ACT  TWO  &  THE  FIRST  SCENE 

woman  neither,  though  by  your  smiling  you  seem 
to  say  so. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

My  lord,  there  was  no  such  stuff  in  my  thoughts. 

HAMLET. 

Wiry  did  you  laugh  then,  when  I  said  "  man 
delights  not  me  "  *? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

To  think,  my  lord,  if  you  delight  not  in  man, 
what  lenten  entertainment  the  players  shall  receive 
from  you  :  we  coted  them  on  the  way ;  and  hither 
are  they  coming,  to  offer  you  service. 

HAMLET. 

He  that  plays  the  king  shall  be  welcome ;  his 
majesty  shall  have  tribute  of  me.  What  players 
are  they? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Even  those  you  were  wont  to  take  such  delight 
in,  the  tragedians  of  the  city. 

HAMLET. 

How  chances  it  they  travel?  their  residence, 
both  in  reputation  and  profit,  was  better  both 
ways.  Do  they  hold  the  same  estimation  they 
did  when  I  was  in  the  city  *?  are  they  so  followed  ? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
No,  indeed,  are  they  not. 

HAMLET. 

It  is  not  very  strange ;  for  my  uncle  is  king  of 
Denmark,  and  those  that  would  make  mows  at 
him  while  my  father  lived,  give  twenty,  forty,  fifty, 
a  hundred  ducats  a-piece,  for  his  picture  in  little. 
S'blood,  there  is  something  in  this  more  than  nat- 
ural, if  philosophy  could  find  it  out. 
(Flourish  of  trumpets  within.) 

[51] 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

GUILDENSTERN. 

There  are  the  players. 

HAMLET. 

Gentlemen,  you  are  welcome  to  Elsinore. 
Your  hands,  come  then :  the  appurtenance  of 
welcome  is  fashion  and  ceremony :  let  me  com- 
ply with  you  in  this  garb,  lest  my  extent  to  the 
players,  which,  I  tell  you,  must  show  fairly  out- 
wards, should  more  appear  like  entertainment 
than  yours.  You  are  welcome :  but  my  uncle- 
father  and  aunt-mother  are  deceived. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
In  what,  my  dear  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

I  am  but  mad  north-north-west :  when  the  wind 
is  southerly  I  know  a  hawk  from  a  handsaw. 

Re-enter  POLONIUS. 
Well  be  with  you,  gentlemen ! 

HAMLET. 

Hark  you,  Guildenstern ;  and  you  too :  at  each 
ear  a  hearer :  that  great  baby  you  see  there  is  not 
yet  out  of  his  swaddling  clouts. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Happily  he's  the  second  time  come  to  them ; 
for  they  say  an  old  man  is  twice  a  child. 

HAMLET. 

I  will  prophesy  he  comes  to  tell  me  of  the 
players;  mark  it.  You  say  right,  sir:  o'  Mon- 
day morning ;  'twas  so,  indeed. 

POLONIUS. 
My  lord,  I  have  news  to  tell  you. 

[52] 


ACT  TWO^THE  FIRST  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

My  lord,  I  have  news  to  tell  you.  When  Ros- 
cius  was  an  actor  in  Rome, — 

POLONIUS. 
The  actors  are  come  hither,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
Buz,  buz ! 

POLONIUS. 
Upon  my  honour, — 

HAMLET. 
Then  came  each  actor  on  his  ass, — 

POLONIUS. 

The  best  actors  in  the  world,  either  for  tragedy, 
comedy,  history,  pastoral,  pastoral-comical,  his- 
torical-pastoral, tragical-historical,  tragical-com- 
ical-historical-pastoral, scene  individable,  or  poem 
unlimited :  Seneca  cannot  be  too  heavy,  nor 
Plautus  too  light.  For  the  law  of  writ  and  the 
liberty,  these  are  the  only  men. 

HAMLET. 

O  Jephthah,  judge  of  Israel,  what  a  treasure 
hadst  thou ! 

POLONIUS. 
What  a  treasure  had  he,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Why, 

"  One  fair  daughter,  and  no  more, 
The  which  he  loved  passing  well." 

POLONIUS.     (.Aside.) 
Still  on  my  daughter. 

HAMLET. 
Am  I  not  i'  the  right,  old  Jephthah  ? 

[53] 


HAMLETosA   TRAGEDY 

POLONIUS. 

If  you  call  me  Jephthah,  my  lord,  I  have  a 
daughter  that  I  love  passing  well. 

HAMLET. 
Nay,  that  follows  not. 

POLONIUS. 
What  follows,  then,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 
Why, 

"  As  by  lot,  God  wot," 
and  then  you  know, 

"  It  came  to  pass,  as  most  like  it  was," — 
the  first  row  of  the  pious  chanson  will  show  you 
more ;    for   look,  where    my  abridgment  comes. 

Enter  four  or  five  PLAYERS. 

You  are  welcome,  masters;  welcome,  all.  I  am 
glad  to  see  thee  well.  Welcome,  good  friends.  O, 
my  old  friend  !  Why  thy  face  is  valanced  since  I 
saw  thee  last ;  comest  thou  to  beard  me  in  Den- 
mark *?  What,  my  young  lady  and  mistress ! 
By  'r  lady,  your  ladyship  is  nearer  to  heaven  than 
when  I  saw  you  last,  by  the  altitude  of  a  chopine. 
Pray  God,  your  voice,  like  a  piece  of  uncurrent 
gold,  be  not  cracked  within  the  ring.  Masters, 
you  are  all  welcome.  We'll  e'en  to 't  like  French 
falconers,  fly  at  any  thing  we  see :  we'll  have  a 
speech  straight:  come,  give  us  a  taste  of  your 
quality ;  come,  a  passionate  speech. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 
What  speech,  my  good  lord  *? 

HAMLET. 

I  heard  thee  speak  me  a  speech  once,  but  it 
was  never  acted ;  or,  if  it  was,  not  above  once ; 

[54] 


ACT  TWO** THE  FIRST  SCENE 

for  the  play,  I  remember,  pleased  not  the  million ; 
'twas  caviare  to  the  general :  but  it  was  an  excel- 
lent play,  well  digested  in  the  scenes,  set  down 
with  as  much  modesty  as  cunning.  One  speech 
in  it  I  chiefly  loved :  'twas  ^Eneas'  tale  to  Dido ; 
and  thereabout  of  it  especially,  where  he  speaks 
of  Priam's  slaughter:  if  it  live  in  your  memory, 
begin  at  this  line : 

"  The  rugged  Pyrrhus,  like  th'  Hyrcanian  beast," — 

It  is  not  so :  it  begins  with  "  Pyrrhus."   Let  me 
see,  let  me  see : 

"  The  rugged  Pyrrhus,  he  whose  sable  arms, 
Black  as  his  purpose,  did  the  night  resemble 
When  he  lay  couched  in  the  ominous  horse, 
With  eyes  like  carbuncles,  the  hellish  Pyrrhus 
Old  grandsire  Priam  seeks." 

So !     Proceed  you. 

POLONIUS. 

'Fore  God,  my  lord,  well  spoken,  with  good  ac- 
cent and  good  discretion. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 

"  Anon  he  finds  him 

Striking  too  short  at  Greeks ;  his  antique  sword, 
Rebellious  to  his  arm,  lies  where  it  falls, 
Repugnant  to  command :  unequal  match'd, 
Pyrrhus  at  Priam  drives ;  in  rage  strikes  wide ; 
But  with  the  whiff  and  wind  of  his  fell  sword 
The  unnerved  father  falls. 
But  as  we  often  see,  against  some  storm, 
A  silence  in  the  heavens,  the  rack  stand  still, 
The  bold  winds  speechless  and  the  orb  below 
As  hush  as  death,  anon  the  dreadful  thunder 
Doth  rend  the  region,  so  after  Pyrrhus'  pause 
Aroused  vengeance  sets  him  new  a- work ; 

[55] 


HAMLET*wA   TRAGEDY 

And  never  did  the  Cyclops'  hammers  fall 
On  Mars's  armour,  forged  for  proof  eterne, 
With  less  remorse  than  Pyrrhus'  bleeding  sword 
Now  falls  on  Priam. 
Out,  out,  thou  strumpet,  Fortune  ! " 

POLONIUS. 
This  is  too  long. 

HAMLET. 

It  shall  to  the  barber's,  with  your  beard. 
Prithee,  say  on :  he's  for  a  jig  or  a  tale  of  bawdry, 
or  he  sleeps :  say  on :  come  to  Hecuba. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 

"But    who,    O,    who     had    seen    the    mobled 
queen — " 

HAMLET. 
"  The  mobled  queen  ?  " 

POLONIUS. 
That's  good ;  "  mobled  queen  "  is  good. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 
"  Run   barefoot   up   and   down,  threatening  the 

flames ; 

A  clout  upon  that  head 

Where  late  the  diadem  stood ;  and  for  a  robe, 
A  blanket,  in  the  alarm  of  fear  caught  up : 
Who  this  had  seen,  with  tongue  in  venom  steep'd 
'Gainst  Fortune's  state  would  treason  have  pro- 
nounced : 

But  if  the  gods  themselves  did  see  her  then, 
When  she  saw  Pyrrhus  make  malicious  sport 
In  mincing  with  his  sword  her  husband's  limbs, 
The  instant  burst  of  clamour  that  she  made, 
Unless  things  mortal  move  them  not  at  all, 
Would  have  made  milch  the  burning   eyes  of 

heaven 
And  passion  in  the  gods." 

[56] 


ACT  TWO** THE  FIRST  SCENE 

POLONIUS. 

Look,  whether  he  has  not  turned  his  colour 
and  has  tears  in  's  eyes.  Prithee,  no  more. 

HAMLET. 

'Tis  well ;  I'll  have  thee  speak  out  the  rest  of 
this  soon.  Good  my  lord,  will  you  see  the  play- 
ers well  bestowed?  Do  you  hear,  let  them  be 
well  used,  for  they  are  the  abstract  and  brief 
chronicles  of  the  time  :  after  your  death  you  were 
better  have  a  bad  epitaph  than  their  ill  report 
while  you  live. 

POLONIUS. 

My  lord,  I  will  use  them  according  to  their 
desert. 

HAMLET. 

God's  bodykins,  man,  much  better :  use  every 
man  after  his  desert,  and  who  shall  'scape  whip- 
ping? Use  them  after  your  own  honour  and 
dignity :  the  less  they  deserve,  the  more  merit  is 
in  your  bounty.  Take  them  in. 

POLONIUS. 
Come,  sirs. 

HAMLET. 

Follow  him,  friends :  we'll  hear  a  play  to- 
morrow. 

(Exit  POLONIUS  with  all  the  PLAYERS  but  the 
FIRST.) 

Dost  thou  hear  me,  old  friend  ?  (ffo  ROSEN- 
CRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN.)  My  good  friends, 
I'll  leave  you  till  night:  you  are  welcome  to 
Elsinore. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Good  my  lord  ! 

[57] 


HAMLETosA  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

Ay,  so,  God  be  wi'  ye ! 

(Exeunt  ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN.) 
Can  you  play  the  Murder  of  Gonzago  ? 

FIRST  PLAYER. 
Ay,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

We'll  ha  't  to-morrow  night.  You  could,  for 
a  need,  study  a  speech  of  some  dozen  or  sixteen 
lines,  which  I  would  set  down  and  insert  in  't, 
could  you  not  ? 

FIRST  PLAYER. 
Ay,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
Very  well.      Follow    that  lord;    and    look  you 

mock  him  not.  (Exit  FIRST  PLAYER.) 

Now  I  am  alone. 

O,  what  a  rogue  and  peasant  slave  am  I ! 
Is  it  not  monstrous  that  this  player  here, 
But  in  a  fiction,  in  a  dream  of  passion, 
Could  force  his  soul  so  to  his  own  conceit 
That  from  her  working  all  his  visage  wann'd ; 
Tears  in  his  eyes,  distraction  in  's  aspect, 
A  broken  voice,  and  his  whole  function  suiting 
With  forms  to  his  conceit  ?  and  all  for  nothing ! 
For  Hecuba ! 

What's  Hecuba  to  him,  or  he  to  Hecuba, 
That  he   should   weep   for  her"?     What  would 

he  do, 

Had  he  the  motive  and  the  cue  for  passion 
That  I  have?     He  would  drown  the  stage  with 

tears 

And  cleave  the  general  ear  with  horrid  speech, 
Make  mad  the  guilty  and  appal  the  free, 
Confound  the  ignorant,  and  amaze  indeed 

[58] 


ACT  TWO  ^  THE  FIRST  SCENE 

The  very  faculties  of  eyes  and  ears. 
Yet  I, 

A  dull  and  muddy-mettled  rascal,  peak, 
Like  John-a-dreams,  unpregnant  of  my  cause, 
And  can  say  nothing ;  no,  not  for  a  king, 
Upon  whose  property  and  most  dear  life 
A  damn'd  defeat  was  made.     Am  I  a  coward  ? 
Who  calls  me  villain  ?  breaks  my  pate  across  *? 
Plucks  off  my  beard,  and  blows  it  in  my  face  ? 
Tweaks  me  by  the  nose  ?  gives  me  the  lie  i'  the 

throat, 

As  deep  as  to  the  lungs  ?     Who  does  me  this  ? 
Ha! 

S'wounds,  I  should  take  it :  for  it  cannot  be 
But  I  am  pigeon-liver'd  and  lack  gall 
To  make  oppression  bitter,  or  ere  this 
I  should  have  fatted  all  the  region  kites 
With  this  slave's  offal :  bloody,  bawdy  villain  ! 
Remorseless,  treacherous,  lecherous,  kindless  vil- 
lain! 

O,  vengeance  ! 

Why,  what  an  ass  am  I !     This  is  most  brave, 
That  I,  the  son  of  a  dear  father  murder'd, 
Prompted  to  my  revenge  by  heaven  and  hell, 
Must,  like  a  whore,  unpack  my  heart  with  words, 
And  fall  a-cursing,  like  a  very  drab, 
A  scullion  ! 
Fie  upon  't !  foh !     About,  my  brain !     Hum,  I 

have  heard 

That  guilty  creatures,  sitting  at  a  play, 
Have  by  the  very  cunning  of  the  scene 
Been  struck  so  to  the  soul  that  presently 
They  have  proclaimed  their  malefactions ; 
For  murder,  though  it  have  no  tongue,  will  speak 
With  most  miraculous  organ.      I'll  have   these 

players 
Play  something  like  the  murder  of  my  father 

[59] 


HAMLET*«A  TRAGEDY 

Before  mine  uncle :  I'll  observe  his  looks ; 
I'll  tent  him  to  the  quick :  if  he  but  blench, 
I  know  my  course.     The  spirit  that  I  have  seen 
May  be  the  devil ;  and  the  devil  hath  power 
To  assume  a  pleasing  shape ;  yea,  and  perhaps 
Out  of  my  weakness  and  my  melancholy, 
As  he  is  very  potent  with  such  spirits, 
Abuses  me  to  damn  me.     I'll  have  grounds 
More  relative  than  this.     The  play's  the  thing 
Wherein  I'll  catch  the  conscience  of  the  king. 


[6ol 


ACT   THREE 


THE  FIRST  SCENE 

\ffbe  scene  is  still  the  same  as  that  on  which  the  cur- 
tain fell  at  the  end  of  Act  II. — a  room  of  state  in  the 
Castle.  ^Ihe  KING,  the  QUEEN,  POLONIUS,  OPHELIA, 
ROSENCRANTZ,  and  GUILDENSTERN  are  disposed  about 
the  apartment.] 

KING. 

/\ND  can  you,  by  no  drift  of  circumstance, 
Get  from  him  why  he  puts  on  this  confusion  ? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

He  does  confess  he  feels  himself  distracted, 
But  from  what  cause  he  will  by  no  means  speak. 

QUEEN. 

Did  you  assay  him 
To  any  pastime  *? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Madam,  it  so  fell  out  that  certain  players 
We  o'er-raught  on  the  way :  of  these  we  told  him, 
And  there  did  seem  in  him  a  kind  of  joy 
To  hear  of  it :  they  are  about  the  court, 
And,  as  I  think,  they  have  already  order 
This  night  to  play  before  him. 

POLONIUS. 

'Tis  most  true : 

And  he  beseech'd  me  to  entreat  your  majesties 
To  hear  and  see  the  matter. 

KING. 

With  all  my  heart ;  and  it  doth  much  content  me 
To  hear  him  so  inclined. 
Good  gentlemen,  give  him  a  further  edge, 
And  drive  his  purpose  on  to  these  delights. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
We  shall,  my  lord. 

(Exeunt  ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN.) 

[63] 


HAMLETo*A   TRAGEDY 

KING. 

Sweet  Gertrude,  leave  us  too; 
For  we  have  closely  sent  for  Hamlet  hither, 
That  he,  as  'twere  by  accident,  may  here 
Affront  Ophelia : 

Her  father  and  myself,  lawful  espials, 
Will  so  bestow  ourselves  that,  seeing  unseen, 
We  may  of  their  encounter  frankly  judge, 
And  gather  by  him,  as  he  is  behaved, 
If 't  be  the  affliction  of  his  love  or  no 
That  thus  he  suffers  for. 

QUEEN. 

I  shall  obey  you : 

And  for  your  part,  Ophelia,  I  do  wish 
That  your  good  beauties  be  the  happy  cause 
Of  Hamlet's  wildness :  so  shall  I  hope  your  virtues 
Will  bring  him  to  his  wonted  way  again, 
To  both  your  honours. 

OPHELIA. 
Madam,  I  wish  it  may.  (Exit  QUEEN.) 

POLONIUS. 

Ophelia,  walk  you  here.   Gracious,  so  please  you, 
We  will  bestow  ourselves.    (*fo  OPHELIA.)    Read 

on  this  book ; 

That  show  of  such  an  exercise  may  colour 
Your  loneliness. 

(ffo  KING.)     I  hear  him  coming :  let's  withdraw, 
my  lord.  (Exeunt  KING  and  POLONIUS.) 

Enter  HAMLET. 

HAMLET. 

To  be,  or  not  to  be :  that  is  the  question : 
Whether  'tis  nobler  in  the  mind  to  suffer 
The  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous 

[64] 


THE    UNDISCOVERED  COUNTRY    FROM    WHOSE    BOURN    NO 
TRAVELLER    RETURNS." 


ACT 

r-iHf  jWiiff  Anil -**«**  r 

Or  to  takejKiruglfflsta  sea  of  trolbles, 

And  by*%*pf*6sing  end  them.     To  me  :  to  sleep  ; 
No  more ;  and  by  a  sleep  to  say  we  end 
The  heart-ache,  and  the  thousand  natural  shocks 
That  flesh  is  heir  to,  'tis  a  consummation 
[.Devoutly  to  be  wish'd.     To  die,  to  sleep; 
To  sleep  :  perchance  to  dream  :  ay,  there's  the  rub ; 
For  in  that  sleep  of  death  what  dreams  may  come, 
When  we  have  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil, 
Must  give  us  pause :  there's  the  respect 
That  makes  calamity  of  so  long  life ; 
For  who  would  bear  the  whips  and  scorns  of  time, 
The   oppressor's   wrong,  the   proud  man's   con- 
tumely, 

The  pangs  of  despised  love,  the  law's  delay, 
The  insolence  of  office,  and  the  spurns 
That  patient  merit  of  the  unworthy  takes, 
When  he  himself  might  his  quietus  make 
With  a  bare  bodkin  ?  who  would  fardels  bear, 
To  grunt  and  sweat  under  a  weary  life, 
But  that  the  dread  of  something  after  death, 
The  undiscover'd  country  from  whose  bourn 
No  traveller  returns,  puzzles  the  will, 
And  makes  us  rather  bear  those  ills  we  have 
Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of? 
Thus  conscience  does  make  cowards  of  us  all, 
And  thus  the  native  hue  of  resolution 
Is  sicklied  o'er  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought, 
And  enterprises  of  great  pitch  and  moment 
With  this  regard  their  currents  turn  awry 
And  lose  the  name  of  action.     Soft  you  now ! 
The  fair  Ophelia !     Nymph,  in  thy  orisons 
Be  all  my  sins  remember'd. 

OPHELIA. 

Good  my  lord, 
How  does  your  honour  for  this  many  a  day  *? 

[65] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 
I  humbly  thank  you  :  well,  well,  well. 

OPHELIA. 

My  lord,  I  have  remembrances  of  yours, 
That  I  have  longed  long  to  re-deliver; 
I  pray  you,  now  receive  them. 

HAMLET. 

No,  not  I ; 
I  never  gave  you  aught. 

OPHELIA. 

My  honour'd  lord,  you  know  right  well  you  did ; 
And  with  them  words  of  so  sweet  breath  composed 
As  made  the  things  more  rich :  their  perfume  lost, 
Take  these  again ;  for  to  the  noble  mind 
Rich  gifts  wax  poor  when  givers  prove  unkind. 
There,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 
Ha,  ha !  are  you  honest  ? 

OPHELIA. 
My  lord? 

HAMLET. 
Are  you  fair? 

OPHELIA. 
What  means  your  lordship  ? 

HAMLET. 

That  if  you  be  honest  and  fair,  your  honesty 
should  admit  no  discourse  to  your  beauty. 

OPHELIA. 

Could  beauty,  my  lord,  have  better  commerce 
than  with  honesty  ? 

HAMLET. 

Ay,  truly ;  for  the  power  of  beauty  will  sooner 
transform  honesty  from  what  it  is  to  a  bawd  than 
the  force  of  honesty  can  translate  beauty  into  his 

[66] 


ACT  THREE**  FIRST  SCENE 

likeness :  this  was  sometime  a  paradox,  but  now 
the  time  gives  it  proof.     I  did  love  you  once. 

OPHELIA. 
Indeed,  my  lord,  you  made  me  believe  so. 

HAMLET. 

You  should  not  have  believed  me ;  for  virtue 
cannot  so  inoculate  our  old  stock  but  we  shall 
relish  of  it :  I  loved  you  not. 

OPHELIA. 

I  was  the  more  deceived. 
HAMLET. 

Get  thee  to  a  nunnery :  why  wouldst  thou  be 
a  breeder  of  sinners'?  I  am  myself  indifferent 
honest ;  but  yet  I  could  accuse  me  of  such  things 
that  it  were  better  my  mother  had  not  borne  me : 
I  am  very  proud,  revengeful,  ambitious;  with 
more  offences  at  my  beck  than  I  have  thoughts  to 
put  them  in,  imagination  to  give  them  shape,  or 
time  to  act  them  in.  What  should  such  fellows 
as  I  do  crawling  between  heaven  and  earth  ? 
We  are  arrant  knaves  all;  believe  none  of  us. 
Go  thy  ways  to  a  nunnery.  Where's  your  father  ? 
OPHELIA. 

At  home,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Let  the  doors  be  shut  upon  him,  that  he  may 
play  the  fool  no  where  but  in's  own  house. 
Farewell. 

OPHELIA. 
O,  help  him,  you  sweet  heavens  ! 

HAMLET. 

If  thou  dost  marry,  I'll  give  thee  this  plague 
for  thy  dowry :  be  thou  as  chaste  as  ice,  as  pure 
as  snow,  thou  shalt  not  escape  calumny.  Get 

[67] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

thee  to  a  nunnery,  go  :  farewell.  Or,  if  thou  wilt 
needs  marry,  marry  a  fool;  for  wise  men  know 
well  enough  what  monsters  you  make  of  them. 
To  a  nunnery,  go ;  and  quickly  too.  Farewell. 

OPHELIA. 

0  heavenly  powers,  restore  him  ! 

HAMLET. 

1  have    heard    of  your   paintings    too,    well 
enough ;  God  hath  given  you  one  face,  and  you 
make  yourselves  another:  you  jig,  you  amble,  and 
you  lisp,  and  nick-name  God's  creatures,  and  make 
your  wantonness  your  ignorance.     Go  to,  I'll  no 
more  on't ;  it  hath  made  me  mad.     I  say,  we  will 
have  no  more  marriages:  those  that  are  married 
already,  all  but  one,  shall  live ;  the  rest  shall  keep 
as  they  are.     To  a  nunnery,  go.  (Exit.) 

OPHELIA. 

O,  what  a  noble  mind  is  here  o'erthrown ! 
The   courtier's,   soldier's,   scholar's,   eye,  tongue, 

sword : 

The  expectancy  and  rose  of  the  fair  state, 
The  glass  of  fashion  and  the  mould  of  form, 
The  observed  of  all  observers,  quite,  quite  down ! 
And  I,  of  ladies  most  deject  and  wretched, 
That  suck'd  the  honey  of  his  music  vows, 
Now  see  that  noble  and  most  sovereign  reason, 
Like  sweet  bells  jangled,  out  of  tune  and  harsh ; 
That  unmatch'd  form  and  feature  of  blown  youth 
Blasted  with  ecstasy :  O,  woe  is  me, 
To  have  seen  what  I  have  seen,  see  what  I  see ! 

(Exit  OPHELIA.) 

Re-enter  KING  and  POLONIUS. 

KING. 

Love  !  his  affections  do  not  that  way  tend ; 
Nor  what  he  spake,  though  it  lack'd  form  a  little, 

[68] 


ACT  THREE  at  FIRST  SCENE 

Was  not  like  madness.     There's  something  in 

his  soul 

O'er  which  his  melancholy  sits  on  brood : — 
He  shall  with  speed  to  England, 
For  the  demand  of  our  neglected  tribute : 
Haply  the  seas  and  countries  different 
With  variable  objects  shall  expel 
This  something-settled  matter  in  his  heart, 
Whereon  his  brains  still  beating  puts  him  thus 
From  fashion  of  himself.     What  think  you  on't? 

POLONIUS. 

It  shall  do  well :  but  yet  do  I  believe 
The  origin  and  commencement  of  his  grief 
Sprung  from  neglected  love. 
My  lord,  do  as  you  please ; 
But,  if  you  hold  it  fit,  after  the  play, 
Let  his  queen  mother  all  alone  entreat  him 
To  show  his  grief:  let  her  be  round  with  him; 
And  I'll  be  placed,  so  please  you,  in  the  ear 
Of  all  their  conference.     If  she  find  him  not, 
To  England  send  him,  or  confine  him  where 
Your  wisdom  best  shall  think. 

KING. 

It  shall  be  so : 
Madness  in  great  ones  must  not  unwatch'd  go. 

(Exeunt) 
Enter  HAMLET  and  PLAYERS. 

HAMLET. 

Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced 
it  to  you,  trippingly  on  the  tongue :  but  if  you 
mouth  it,  as  many  of  your  players  do,  I  had  as 
lief  the  town-crier  spoke  my  lines.  Nor  do  not 
saw  the  air  too  much  with  your  hand,  thus ;  but 
use  all  gently :  for  in  the  very  torrent,  tempest, 
and,  as  I  may  say,  whirlwind  of  your  passion,  you 
must  acquire  and  beget  a  temperance  that  may 

[69] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

give  it  smoothness.  O,  it  offends  me  to  the  soul 
to  hear  a  robustious  periwig-pated  fellow  tear  a 
passion  to  tatters,  to  very  rags,  to  split  the  ears  of 
the  groundlings,  who,  for  the  most  part,  are  capa- 
ble of  nothing  but  inexplicable  dumb-shows  and 
noise  :  I  would  have  such  a  fellow  whipped  for 
o'erdoing  Termagant ;  it  out-herods  Herod :  pray 
you,  avoid  it. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 
I  warrant  your  honour. 

HAMLET. 

Be  not  too  tame  neither,  but  let  your  own  dis- 
cretion be  your  tutor :  suit  the  action  to  the  word, 
the  word  to  the  action;  with  this  special  observ- 
ance, that  you  o'erstep  not  the  modesty  of  nature : 
for  anything  so  overdone  is  from  the  purpose  of 
playing,  whose  end,  both  at  the  first  and  now,  was 
and  is,  to  hold,  as  'twere,  the  mirror  up  to  nature ; 
to  show  virtue  her  own  feature,  scorn  her  own 
image,  and  the  very  age  and  body  of  the  time  his 
form  and  pressure.  Now  this  overdone  or  come 
tardy  off,  though  it  make  the  unskilful  laugh, 
cannot  but  make  the  judicious  grieve ;  the  cen- 
sure of  the  which  one  must  in  your  allowance 
o'erweigh  a  whole  theatre  of  others.  O,  there  be 
players  that  I  have  seen  play,  and  heard  others 
praise,  and  that  highly,  not  to  speak  it  profanely, 
that  neither  having  the  accent  of  Christians  nor 
the  gait  of  Christian,  pagan,  nor  man,  have  so 
strutted  and  bellowed,  that  I  have  thought  some 
of  nature's  journeymen  had  made  men,  .and  not 
made  them  well,  they  imitated  humanity  so  abom- 
inably. 

FIRST  PLAYER. 

I  hope  we  have  reformed  that  indifferently  with 
us,  sir. 

[70] 


ACT  THREE^ FIRST  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

O,  reform  it  altogether.  And  let  those  that 
play  your  clowns  speak  no  more  than  is  set  down 
for  them:  for  there  be  of  them  that  will  them- 
selves laugh,  to  set  on  some  quantity  of  barren 
spectators  to  laugh  too,  though  in  the  mean  time 
some  necessary  question  of  the  play  be  then  to 
be  considered  :  that's  villanous,  and  shows  a  most 
pitiful  ambition  in  the  fool  that  uses  it.  Go,  make 
you  ready.  (Exeunt  PLAYERS.) 

What  ho !  Horatio ! 

Enter  HORATIO. 

HORATIO. 
Here,  sweet  lord,  at  your  service. 

HAMLET. 

Horatio,  thou  art  e'en  as  just  a  man 
As  e'er  my  conversation  coped  withal. 

HORATIO. 
O,  my  dear  lord,— 

HAMLET. 

Nay,  do  not  think  I  flatter; 
For  what  advancement  may  I  hope  from  thee, 
That  no  revenue  hast  but  thy  good  spirits, 
To  feed  and  clothe   thee?      Why  should    the 

poor  be  flatter'd  ? 

No,  let  the  candied  tongue  lick  absurd  pomp, 
And  crook  the  pregnant  hinges  of  the  knee 
Where   thrift  may  follow  fawning.     Dost  thou 

hear? 

Since  my  dear  soul  was  mistress  of  her  choice, 
And  could  of  men  distinguish,  her  election 
Hath  seal'd  thee  for  herself:  for  thou  hast  been 
As  one,  in  suffering  all,  that  suffers  nothing; 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

A  man  that  fortune's  buffets  and  rewards 
Hast  ta'en  with  equal  thanks :  and  blest  are  those 
Whose  blood  and  judgment  are  so  well   com- 
mingled 

That  they  are  not  a  pipe  for  fortune's  finger 
To  sound  what  stop  she  please.     Give  me  that 

man 

That  is  not  passion's  slave,  and  I  will  wear  him 
In  my  heart's  core,  ay,  in  my  heart  of  heart, 
As  I  do  thee.     Something  too  much  of  this. 
There  is  a  play  to-night  before  the  king; 
One  scene  of  it  comes  near  the  circumstance 
Which  I  have  told  thee  of  my  father's  death  : 
I  prithee,  when  thou  seest  that  act  a-foot, 
Even  with  the  very  comment  of  thy  soul 
Observe  my  uncle :  if  his  occulted  guilt 
Do  not  itself  unkennel  in  one  speech, 
It  is  a  damned  ghost  that  we  have  seen, 
And  my  imaginations  are  as  foul 
As  Vulcan's  stithy.     Give  him  heedful  note ; 
For  I  mine  eyes  will  rivet  to  his  face, 
And  after  we  will  both  our  judgments  join 
In  censure  of  his  seeming. 
They  are  coming  to  the  play :  I  must  be  idle  : 
Get  you  a  place. 

Danish  march.  A  flourish.  Enter  the  KING,  the 
QUEEN,  POLONIUS,  OPHELIA,  ROSENCRANTZ, 
GUILDENSTERN,  and  other  LORDS  attendant,  with 
the  GUARD  carrying  torches. 

KING. 
How  fares  our  cousin  Hamlet? 

HAMLET. 

Excellent,  i*  faith ;  of  the  chameleon's  dish :  I 
eat  the  air,  promise-crammed:  you  cannot  feed 
capons  so. 

[72] 


ACT  THREE  as  FIRST  SCENE 

KING. 

I  have  nothing  with  this  answer,  Hamlet ;  these 
words  are  not  mine. 

HAMLET. 

No,  nor  mine  now.     (T0  POLONIUS.)    My  lord, 
you  played  once  ij  the  university,  you  say4? 

POLONIUS. 

That  did  I,  my  lord,  and  was  accounted  a  good 
actor. 

HAMLET. 
What  did  you  enact  ? 

POLONIUS. 

I  did  enact  Julius  Caesar :  I  was  killed  i'  the 
Capitol ;  Brutus  killed  me. 

HAMLET. 

It  was  a  brute  part  of  him  to  kill  so  capital  a 
calf  there.     Be  the  players  ready? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Ay,  my  lord ;  they  stay  upon  your  patience. 

QUEEN. 
Come  hither,  my  dear  Hamlet,  sit  by  me. 

HAMLET. 
No,  good  mother,  here's  metal  more  attractive. 

POLONIUS.     (T0  the  KING.) 
O,  ho  !  do  you  mark  that  ? 

HAMLET. 
Lady,  shall  I  lie  in  your  lap  ? 

(Lying  down  at  OPHELIA'S  feet) 

OPHELIA. 
You  are  merry,  my  lord. 

[73] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

O  God,  your  only  jig-maker.  What  should 
a  man  do  but  be  merry?  for,  look  you,  how 
cheerfully  my  mother  looks,  and  my  father  died 
within 's  two  hours. 

OPHELIA. 
Nay,  'tis  twice  two  months,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

So  long?  Nay  then,  let  the  devil  wear  black, 
for  Pll  have  a  suit  of  sables.  O  heavens !  die 
two  months  ago,  and  not  forgotten  yet  ?  Then 
there's  hope  a  great  man's  memory  may  outlive 
his  life  half  a  year :  but,  by  'r  lady,  he  must  build 
churches  then.  (Hautboys  play.) 

OPHELIA. 
What  means  this  play,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

Marry,  this  is  miching  mallecho;  it  means  mis- 
chief. 

OPHELIA. 

But  what  is  the  argument  of  the  play  ? 
Enter  PROLOGUE. 

HAMLET. 
We  shall  know  by  this  fellow. 

PROLOGUE. 

For  us,  and  for  our  tragedy, 
Here  stooping  to  your  clemency, 
We  beg  your  hearing  patiently. 

HAMLET. 

Is  this  a  prologue,  or  the  posy  of  a  ring  *? 
[74] 


ACT  THREE** FIRST  SCENE 

OPHELIA. 
JTis  brief,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

As  woman's  love. 

Enter  two  PLAYERS,  KING  and  QUEEN. 

PLAYER  KING. 

Full  thirty  times  hath  Phoebus'  cart  gone  round 
Neptune's  salt  wash  and  Tellus'  orbed  ground, 
Since  love  our  hearts  and  Hymen  did  our  hands 
Unite  commutual  in  most  sacred  bands. 

PLAYER  QUEEN. 

So  many  journeys  may  the  sun  and  moon 
Make  us  again  count  o'er  ere  love  be  done ! 
But,  woe  is  me,  you  are  so  sick  of  late, 
So  far  from  cheer  and  from  your  former  state, 
That  I  distrust  you.     Yet,  though  I  distrust, 
Discomfort  you,  my  lord,  it  nothing  must. 

PLAYER  KING. 

Faith,  I  must  leave  thee,  love,  and  shortly  too ; 
My  operant  powers  their  functions  leave  to  do : 
And  thou  shalt  live  in  this  fair  world  behind, 
Honour'd,  beloved ;  and  haply  one  as  kind 
For  husband  shalt  thou — 

PLAYER  QUEEN. 

O,  confound  the  rest ! 

Such  love  must  needs  be  treason  in  my  breast : 
In  second  husband  let  me  be  accurst ! 
None  wed  the  second  but  who  kill'd  the  first. 

HAMLET.     (.Aside) 
Wormwood,  wormwood. 

PLAYER  KING. 

I  do  believe  you  think  what  now  you  speak, 
But  what  we  do  determine  oft  we  break. 

[75] 


HAMLETotA  TRAGEDY 

What  to  ourselves  in  passion  we  propose, 
The  passion  ending,  doth  the  purpose  lose. 
So  think  thou  wilt  no  second  husband  wed, 
But  die  thy  thoughts  when  thy  first  lord  is  dead. 

PLAYER  QUEEN. 

Nor  earth  to  me  give  food  nor  heaven  light ! 
Sport  and  repose  lock  from  me  day  and  night ! 
Both  here  and  hence  pursue  me  lasting  strife, 
If,  once  a  widow,  ever  I  be  wife ! 

PLAYER  KING. 
'Tis  deeply  sworn. 

HAMLET. 
If  she  should  break  it  now  ! 

PLAYER  KING.  t 

Sweet,  leave  me  here  a  while ; 
My  spirits  grow  dull,  and  fain  I  would  beguile 
The  tedious  day  with  sleep.     (Sleeps.} 

PLAYER  QUEEN. 

Sleep  rock  thy  brain ; 
And  never  come  mischance  between  us  twain ! 

(Exit) 
HAMLET. 
Madam,  how  like  you  this  play  ? 

QUEEN. 
The  lady  doth  protest  too  much,  methinks. 

HAMLET. 
O,  but  shell  keep  her  word. 

KING. 

Have  you  heard  the  argument  ?     Is  there  no 
offence  in't  ? 

HAMLET. 

No,  no,  they  do  but  jest,  poison  in  jest;  no 
offence  i'  the  world. 

[76] 


ACT  THREE  at  FIRST  SCENE 

KING. 
What  do  you  call  the  play? 

HAMLET. 

The  Mouse-trap.  Marry,  how  ?  Tropically. 
This  play  is  the  image  of  a  murder  done  in 
Vienna :  Gonzago  is  the  duke's  name ;  his  wife, 
Baptista :  you  shall  see  anon ;  'tis  a  knavish  piece 
of  work :  but  what  o'  that  *?  your  majesty,  and 
we  that  have  free  souls,  it  touches  us  not :  let  the 
galled  jade  wince,  our  withers  are  unwrung. 

Enter  LUCIANUS. 
This  is  one  Luc i  anus,  nephew  to  the  king. 

OPHELIA. 
You  are  as  good  as  a  chorus,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

I  could  interpret  between  you  and  your  love,  if 
I  could  see  the  puppets  dallying.  Begin,  murder- 
er ;  leave  thy  damnable  faces,  and  begin.  Come : 
the  croaking  raven  doth  bellow  for  revenge. 

LUCIANUS. 
Thoughts  black,  hands  apt,  drugs  fit,  and  time 

agreeing; 

Confederate  season,  else  no  creature  seeing; 
Thou  mixture  rank,  of  midnight  weeds  collected, 
With  Hecate's  ban  thrice  blasted,  thrice  infected, 
Thy  natural  magic  and  dire  property, 
On  wholesome  life  usurp  immediately. 

(Pours  the  poison  into  the  sleeper's  ear.) 

HAMLET. 

He  poisons  him  i'  the  garden  for  his  estate. 
His  name's  Gonzago :  the  story  is  extant,  and 
written  in  very  choice  Italian :  you  shall  see  anon 
how  the  murderer  gets  the  love  of  Gonzago's  wife. 

[77] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

OPHELIA. 
The  king  rises. 

HAMLET. 
What,  frighted  with  false  fire ! 

QUEEN. 
How  fares  my  lord  ? 

POLONIUS. 
Give  o'er  the  play. 

KING. 

Give  me  some  light.     Away  ! 

POLONIUS. 
Lights,  lights,  lights ! 

(Exeunt  all  but  HAMLET  and  HORATIO.) 

HAMLET. 
Why,  let  the  stricken  deer  go  weep, 

The  hart  ungalled  play; 
For  some  must  watch,  while  some  must  sleep : 

Thus  runs  the  world  away. 

0  good  Horatio,   I'll  take  the   ghost's  word 
for  a  thousand  pound.     Didst  perceive  ? 

HORATIO. 
Very  well,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Upon  the  talk  of  the  poisoning? 
HORATIO. 

1  did  very  well  note  him. 

HAMLET. 

Ah,  ha !     Come,  some   music !  come,  the  re- 
corders ! 

For  if  the  king  like  not  the  comedy, 
Why  then,  belike,  he  likes  it  not,  perdy. 
Come,  some  music ! 

[78] 


ACT  THREE** FIRST  SCENE 

Re-enter  ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN. 

GuiLDENSTERN. 

Good  my  lord,  vouchsafe  me  a  word  with  you. 

HAMLET. 
Sir,  a  whole  history. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
The  king,  sir, — 

HAMLET. 
Ay,  sir,  what  of  him  ? 

GUILDENSTERN. 
Is  in  his  retirement  marvellous  distempered. 

HAMLET. 
With  drink,  sir  ? 

GUILDENSTERN. 
No,  my  lord,  rather  with  choler. 

HAMLET. 

Your  wisdom  should  show  itself  more  richer 
to  signify  this  to  the  doctor;  for,  for  me  to  put 
him  to  his  purgation  would  perhaps  plunge  him 
into  far  more  choler. 

GUILDENSTERN. 

Good  my  lord,  put  your  discourse  into  some 
frame,  and  start  not  so  wildly  from  my  affair. 

HAMLET. 
I  am  tame,  sir:  pronounce. 

GUILDENSTERN. 

The  queen,  your  mother,  in  most  great  afflic- 
tion of  spirit,  hath  sent  me  to  you. 

HAMLET. 
You  are  welcome. 

[79] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

GuiLDENSTERN. 

Nay,  good  my  lord,  this  courtesy  is  not  of  the 
right  breed.  If  it  shall  please  you  to  make  me  a 
wholesome  answer,  I  will  do  your  mother's  com- 
mandment :  if  not,  your  pardon  and  my  return 
shall  be  the  end  of  my  business. 

HAMLET. 
Sir,  I  cannot. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
What,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

Make  you  a  wholesome  answer ;  my  wit's  dis- 
eased :  but,  sir,  such  answer  as  I  can  make,  you 
shall  command ;  or  rather,  as  you  say,  my  mother  : 
therefore  no  more,  but  to  the  matter :  my  mother, 
you  say, — 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Then  thus  she  says ;  your  behaviour  hath  struck 
her  into  amazement  and  admiration. 

HAMLET. 

O  wonderful  son,  that  can  so  astonish  a  mother ! 
But  is  there  no  sequel  at  the  heels  of  this  mother's 
admiration  ?  Impart. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

She  desires  to  speak  with  you  in  her  closet,  ere 
you  go  to  bed. 

HAMLET. 

We  shall  obey,  were  she  ten  times  our  mother. 
Have  you  any  further  trade  with  us  *? 

ROSENCRANTZ. 
My  lord,  you  once  did  love  me. 

HAMLET. 

So  I  do  still,  by  these  pickers  and  stealers. 
[80] 


ACT  THREE** FIRST  SCENE 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

Good  my  lord,  what  is  your  cause  of  distem- 
per ?  you  do  surely  bar  the  door  upon  your  own 
liberty,  if  you  deny  your  griefs  to  your  friend. 

HAMLET. 
Sir,  I  lack  advancement. 

ROSENCRANTZ. 

How  can  that  be,  when  you  have  the  voice  of 
the  king  himself  for  your  succession  in  Denmark? 

HAMLET. 

Ay,  sir,  but  "while  the  grass  grows," — the  prov- 
erb is  something  musty. 

Re-enter  PLAYERS  with  RECORDERS. 

O,  the  recorders !  let  me  see  one.  To  withdraw 
with  you: — why  do  you  go  about  to  recover  the 
wind  of  me,  as  if  you  would  drive  me  into  a  toil? 

GUILDENSTERN. 

O,  my  lord,  if  my  duty  be  too  bold,  my  love  is 
too  unmannerly. 

HAMLET. 

I  do  not  well  understand  that.  Will  you  play 
upon  this  pipe  ? 

GUILDENSTERN. 
My  lord,  I  cannot. 

HAMLET. 
I  pray  you. 

GUILDENSTERN. 
Believe  me,  I  cannot. 

HAMLET. 
I  do  beseech  you. 

GUILDENSTERN. 

I  know  no  touch  of  it,  my  lord. 
[81] 


HAMLET«*A  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

It  is  as  easy  as  lying :  govern  these  ventages 
with  your  fingers  and  thumb,  give  it  breath  with 
your  mouth,  and  it  will  discourse  most  eloquent 
music.  Look  you,  these  are  the  stops. 

GUILDENSTERN. 

But  these  cannot  I  command  to  any  utterance 
of  harmony ;  I  have  not  the  skill. 

HAMLET. 

Why,  look  you  now,  how  unworthy  a  thing 
you  make  of  me  !  You  would  play  upon  me  ; 
you  would  seem  to  know  my  stops ;  you  would 
pluck  out  the  heart  of  my  mystery;  you  would 
sound  me  from  my  lowest  note  to  the  top  of  my 
compass :  and  there  is  much  music,  excellent 
voice,  in  this  little  organ ;  yet  cannot  you  make 
it  speak.  'Sblood,  do  you  think  I  am  easier  to  be 
played  on  than  a  pipe?  Call  me  what  instru- 
ment you  will,  though  you  can  fret  me,  yet  you 
cannot  play  upon  me. 

Re-enter  POLONIUS. 
God  bless  you,  sir ! 

POLONIUS. 

My  lord,  the  queen  would  speak  with  you,  and 
presently. 

HAMLET. 

Do  you  see  yonder  cloud  that's  almost  in 
shape  of  a  camel*? 

POLONIUS. 
By  the  mass,  and  'tis  like  a  camel,  indeed. 

HAMLET. 

Methinks  it  is  like  a  weasel. 
[82] 


ACT  THREE**  FIRST  SCENE 

POLONIUS. 

It  is  backed  like  a  weasel. 

HAMLET. 
Or  like  a  whale  ? 

POLONIUS. 
Very  like  a  whale. 

HAMLET. 

Then  I  will  come  to  my  mother  by  and  by. 
They  fool  me  to  the  top  of  my  bent.  I  will  come 
by  and  by. 

POLONIUS. 
I  will  say  so.  (Exit  POLONIUS.) 

HAMLET. 

"  By  and  by  "  is  easily  said.     Leave  me,  friends. 

(Exeunt  all  but  HAMLET.) 
'Tis  now  the  very  witching  time  of  night, 
When  churchyards  yawn,  and  hell  itself  breathes 

out 
Contagion  to  this  world :  now  could  I  drink  hot 

blood, 

And  do  such  bitter  business  as  the  day 
Would  quake  to   look  on.     Soft!   now  to  my 
mother. 

0  heart,  lose  not  thy  nature ;  let  not  ever 
The  soul  of  Nero  enter  this  firm  bosom  : 
Let  me  be  cruel,  not  unnatural : 

1  will  speak  daggers  to  her,  but  use  none.    (Exit.) 


[83] 


THE  SECOND  SCENE 

\^(heKing,  ROSENCRANTZ,  and  GUILDENSTERN  are 
discovered  in  conference  together  within  the  QUEEN'S 
closet.~\ 

KING. 

1  LIKE  him  not,  nor  stands  it  safe  with  us 
To  let  his  madness  range.    Therefore  prepare  you ; 
I  your  commission  will  forthwith  dispatch, 
And  he  to  England  shall  along  with  you. 
Arm  you,  I  pray  you,  to  this  speedy  voyage, 
For  we  will  fetters  put  about  this  fear, 
Which  now  goes  too  free-footed. 

ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN. 

We  will  haste  us. 
(Exeunt  ROSENCRANTZ  and  GUILDENSTERN.) 

KING. 

O,  my  offence  is  rank,  it  smells  to  heaven; 
It  hath  the  primal  eldest  curse  upon't, 
A  brother's  murder.     Pray  can  I  not, 
Though  inclination  be  as  sharp  as  will : 
My  stronger  guilt  defeats  my  strong  intent, 
And  like  a  man  to  double  business  bound, 
I  stand  in  pause  where  I  shall  first  begin, 
And  both  neglect.     What  if  this  cursed  hand 
Were  thicker  than  itself  with  brother's  blood, 
Is  there  not  rain  enough  in  the  sweet  heavens 
To   wash  it   white  as   snow  ?     Whereto   serves 

mercy 

But  to  confront  the  visage  of  offence  ? 
And  what's  in  prayer  but  this  twofold  force, 
To  be  forestalled  ere  we  come  to  fall, 
Or  pardon'd  being  down*?     Then  I'll  look  up; 
My  fault  is  past.     But  O,  what  form  of  prayer 
Can   serve   my   turn  ?     "  Forgive   me   my  foul 

murder?" 
That  cannot  be,  since  I  am  still  possess'd 

[84] 


ACT  THREEotSECOND  SCENE 

Of  those  effects  for  which  I  did  the  murder, 
My  crown,  mine  own  ambition  and  my  queen. 
May  one  be  pardon'd  and  retain  the  offence  ? 
In  the  corrupted  currents  of  this  world 
Offence's  gilded  hand  may  shove  by  justice, 
And  oft  'tis  seen  the  wicked  prize  itself 
Buys  out  the  law :  but  'tis  not  so  above ; 
There  is  no  shuffling,  there  the  action  lies 
In  his  true  nature,  and  we  ourselves  compell'd 
Even  to  the  teeth  and  forehead  of  our  faults 
To  give  in  evidence.     What  then  ?  what  rests  ? 
Try  what  repentance  can :  what  can  it  not  ? 
Yet  what  can  it  when  one  can  not  repent  ? 
O  wretched  state  !    O  bosom  black  as  death ! 
O  limed  soul,  that  struggling  to  be  free 
Art  more  engaged !     Help,  angels !  make  assay ! 
Bow,  stubborn  knees,  and,  heart  with  strings  of 

steel, 

Be  soft  as  sinews  of  the  new-born  babe ! 
All  may  be  well.  (Retires  and  kneels.) 

Enter  HAMLET. 

HAMLET. 

Now  might  I  do  it  pat,  now  he  is  praying ; 
And  now  I'll  do  't :  and  so  he  goes  to  heaven : 
And  so  am  I  revenged.     That  would  be  scann'd : 
A  villain  kills  my  father;  and  for  that, 
I,  his  sole  son,  do  this  same  villain  send 
To  heaven. 

O,  this  is  hire  and  salary,  not  revenge. 
He  took  my  father  grossly,  full  of  bread, 
With  all  his  crimes  broad  blown,  as  flush  as  May; 
And  how  his  audit  stands  who  knows  save  heaven*? 
But  in  our  circumstance  and  course  of  thought, 
'Tis  heavy  with  him :  and  am  I  then  revenged, 
To  take  him  in  the  purging  of  his  soul, 
When  he  is  fit  and  season'd  for  his  passage  ? 

[85] 


HAMLET^A    TRAGEDY 

No. 

Up,  sword,  and  know  thou  a  more  horrid  hent : 

When  he  is  drunk  asleep,  or  in  his  rage, 

Or  in  the  incestuous  pleasure  of  his  bed ; 

At  game,  a-swearing,  or  about  some  act 

That  has  no  relish  of  salvation  in  't ; 

Then  trip  him,  that  his  heels  may  kick  at  heaven 

And  that  his  soul  may  be  as  damn'd  and  black 

As  hell,  whereto  it  goes.     My  mother  stays : 

This  physic  but  prolongs  thy  sickly  days.    (Extf.) 

KING.     (Rising) 

My  words  fly  up,  my  thoughts  remain  below : 
Words  without  thoughts  never  to  heaven  go. 

(Exit.) 
Enter  QUEEN  and  POLONIUS. 

POLONIUS. 

He  will  come  straight.  Look  you  lay  home  to 
him: 

Tell  him  his  pranks  have  been  too  broad  to  bear 
with, 

And  that  your  grace  hath  screened  and  stood  be- 
tween 

Much  heat  and  him.     I'll  sconce  me  even  here. 

Pray  you,  be  round  with  him. 

HAMLET.     (Within) 
Mother,  mother,  mother! 

QUEEN. 

I'll  warrant  you ;  fear  me  not.     Withdraw,  I  hear 
him  coming. 
(POLONIUS  hides  behind  the  arras) 

Enter  HAMLET. 

HAMLET. 

Now,  mother,  what's  the  matter  *? 
[86] 


ACT  THREEosSECOND  SCENE 

QUEEN. 
Hamlet,  thou  hast  thy  father  much  offended. 

HAMLET. 
Mother,  you  have  my  father  much  offended. 

QUEEN. 

Come,  come,  you  answer  with  an  idle  tongue. 

HAMLET. 
Go,  go,  you  question  with  a  wicked  tongue. 

QUEEN. 
Why,  how  now,  Hamlet ! 

HAMLET. 

What's  the  matter  now  *? 
QUEEN. 
Have  you  forgot  me  ? 

HAMLET. 

No,  by  the  rood,  not  so : 

You  are  the  queen,  your  husband's  brother's  wife ; 
And  —  would    it   were   not   so!  —  you    are  my 
mother. 

QUEEN. 
Nay,  then,  I'll  set  those  to  you  that  can  speak. 

HAMLET. 
Come,  come,  and  sit  you  down;  you  shall  not 

budge ; 

You  go  not  till  I  set  you  up  a  glass 
Where  you  may  see  the  inmost  part  of  you. 

QUEEN. 

What  wilt  thou  do  ?  thou  wilt  not  murder  me  2 
Help,  help,  ho ! 

POLONIUS.     (Behind.) 
What,  ho!  help,  help,  help! 

[87] 


HAMLETotA  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET.     (Drawing.) 

How  now !  a  rat  ?     Dead,  for  a  ducat,  dead  ! 

(Makes  a  pass  through  the  arras) 

POLONIUS.     (Behind) 
O,  I  am  slain !     (Falls  and  dies) 

QUEEN. 

O  me,  what  hast  thou  done  ? 

HAMLET. 
Nay,  I  know  not :  is  it  the  king? 

QUEEN. 

O,  what  a  rash  and  bloody  deed  is  this ! 

HAMLET. 

A  bloody  deed !  almost  as  bad,  good  mother, 
As  kill  a  king,  and  marry  with  his  brother. 

QUEEN. 

As  kill  a  king! 

HAMLET. 

Ay,  lady,  'twas  my  word. 
,,   (Lifts  up  the  arras  and  discovers  POLONIUS.) 
Thou  wretched,  rash,  intruding  fool,  farewell ! 
I  took  thee  for  thy  better. 
Leave  wringing  of  your  hands :  peace !  sit  you 

down, 

And  let  me  wring  your  heart :  for  so  I  shall, 
If  it  be  made  of  penetrable  stuff ; 
If  damned  custom  have  not  brass'd  it  so, 
That  it  be  proof  and  bulwark  against  sense. 

QUEEN. 
What  have  I  done,  that  thou  darest  wag  thy 

tongue 
In  noise  so  rude  against  me  *? 

[88] 


ACT  THREE^tSECOND  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

Such  an  act 

That  blurs  the  grace  and  blush  of  modesty, 
Calls  virtue  hypocrite,  takes  off  the  rose 
From  the  fair  forehead  of  an  innocent  love, 
And  sets  a  blister  there ;  makes  marriage  vows 
As  false  as  dicers'  oaths :  O,  such  a  deed 
As  from  the  body  of  contraction  plucks 
The  very  soul,  and  sweet  religion  makes 
A  rhapsody  of  words :  heaven's  face  doth  glow ; 
Yea,  this  solidity  and  compound  mass, 
With  tristful  visage,  as  against  the  doom, 
Is  thought-sick  at  the  act. 

QUEEN. 

Ay  me,  what  act  ? 
HAMLET. 

Look  here,  upon  this  picture,  and  on  this, 
The  counterfeit  presentment  of  two  brothers. 
See  what  a  grace  was  seated  on  this  brow ; 
Hyperion's  curls,  the  front  of  Jove  himself, 
An  eye  like  Mars,  to  threaten  and  command ; 
A  station  like  the  herald  Mercury 
New-lighted  on  a  heaven-kissing  hill ; 
A  combination  and  a  form  indeed, 
Where  every  god  did  seem  to  set  his  seal 
To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man  : 
This  was  your  husband.     Look  you  now,  what 

follows : 

Here  is  your  husband;  like  a  mildew'd  ear, 
Blasting  his  wholesome  brother.    Have  you  eyes  ? 
Could  you  on  this  fair  mountain  leave  to  feed, 
And  batten  on  this  moor  ?    Ha !  have  you  eyes  ? 
You  cannot  call  it  love,  for  at  your  age 
The  hey-day  in  the  blood  is  tame,  it's  humble, 
And  waits  upon  the  judgment :  and  what  judg- 
ment 

[891 


HAMLETo«A   TRAGEDY 

Would  step  from  this  to  this  ? 

O  shame  !  where  is  thy  blush  ?     Rebellious  hell, 

If  thou  canst  mutine  in  a  matron's  bones, 

To  flaming  youth  let  virtue  be  as  wax 

And  melt  in  her  own  fire. 

QUEEN. 

O  Hamlet,  speak  no  more : 
Thou  turn'st  mine  eyes  into  my  very  soul, 
And  there  I  see  such  black  and  grained  spots 
As  will  not  leave  their  tinct. 

HAMLET. 

Nay,  but  to  live 
In  the  rank  sweat  of  an  incestuous  bed. 

QUEEN. 

No  more,  sweet  Hamlet ! 

HAMLET. 

A  murderer  and  a  villain; 
A  slave  that  is  not  twentieth  part  the  tithe 
Of  your  precedent  lord ;  a  vice  of  kings ; 
A  cutpurse  of  the  empire  and  the  rule, 
That  from  a  shelf  the  precious  diadem  stole 
And  put  it  in  his  pocket! 

QUEEN. 

No  more ! 
HAMLET. 
A  king  of  shreds  and  patches — 

Enter  GHOST. 

Save  me,  and  hover  o'er  me  with  your  wings, 
You  heavenly  guards !     What  would  your  gra- 
cious figure*? 

QUEEN. 
Alas,  he's  mad  ! 

[90] 


ACT  THREEv*SECOND  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

Do  you  not  come  your  tardy  son  to  chide, 
That,  lapsed  in  time  and  passion,  lets  go  by 
The  important  acting  of  your  dread  command  ? 
O,  say ! 

GHOST. 

Do  not  forget :  this  visitation 
Is  but  to  whet  thy  almost  blunted  purpose. 
But  look,  amazement  on  thy  mother  sits : 
O,  step  between  her  and  her  fighting  soul : 
Speak  to  her,  Hamlet. 

HAMLET. 

How  is  it  with  you,  lady? 

QUEEN. 

Alas,  how  is't  with  you, 
That  you  do  bend  your  eye  on  vacancy 
And  with  the  incorporal  air  do  hold  discourse  ? 
O  gentle  son, 

Upon  the  heat  and  flame  of  thy  distemper 
Sprinkle  cool  patience.     Whereon  do  you  look  ? 

HAMLET. 

On  him,  on  him !  Look  you  how  pale  he  glares ! 
His  form  and  cause  conjoined,  preaching  to  stones, 
Would  make  them  capable.  Do  not  look  upon 

me, 

Lest  with  this  piteous  action  you  convert 
My  stern  effects :  then  what  I  have  to  do 
Will  want  true  colour ;  tears  perchance  for  blood. 

QUEEN. 
To  whom  do  you  speak  this  ? 

HAMLET. 
Do  you  see  nothing  there  ? 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

QUEEN. 

Nothing  at  all ;  yet  all  that  is  I  sec 

HAMLET. 
Nor  did  you  nothing  hear  ? 

QUEEN. 
No,  nothing  but  ourselves. 

HAMLET. 

Why,  look  you  there !  look,  how  it  steals  away ! 
My  father,  in  his  habit  as  he  lived ! 
Look,  where  he  goes,  even  now,  out  at  the  portal ! 

(Exit  GHOST.) 
QUEEN. 

This  is  the  very  coinage  of  your  brain  : 
This  bodiless  creation  ecstasy 
Is  very  cunning  in. 

HAMLET. 

Ecstasy ! 

My  pulse,  as  yours,  doth  temperately  keep  time, 
And  makes  as  healthful  music  :  it  is  not  madness 
That  I  have  utter'd :  bring  me  to  the  test, 
And  I  the  matter  will  re-word,  which  madness 
Would  gambol  from.     Mother,  for  love  of  grace, 
Lay  not  that  flattering  unction  to  your  soul, 
That  not  your  trespass  but  my  madness  speaks : 
It  will  but  skin  and  film  the  ulcerous  place, 
Whiles  rank  corruption,  mining  all  within, 
Infects  unseen.     Confess  yourself  to  heaven ; 
Repent  what's  past,  avoid  what  is  to  come. 

QUEEN. 
O  Hamlet,  thou  hast  cleft  my  heart  in  twain. 

HAMLET. 

O,  throw  away  the  worser  part  of  it, 
And  live  the  purer  with  the  other  half. 

[92] 


ACT  THREEoeSECOND  SCENE 

Good  night:  but  go  not  to  my  uncle's  bed; 

Assume  a  virtue,  if  you  have  it  not. 

Once  more,  good  night : 

And  when  you  are  desirous  to  be  blest, 

I'll  blessing  beg  of  you.     For  this  same  lord, 

(Pointing  to  POLONIUS.) 
I  do  repent:  but  heaven  hath  pleased  it  so, 
To  punish  me  with  this,  and  this  with  me, 
That  I  must  be  their  scourge  and  minister. 
I  will  bestow  him,  and  will  answer  well 
The  death  I  gave  him.     Good  night,  mother. 

(Exit  QUEEN.) 

I  must  be  cruel,  only  to  be  kind : 
Thus  bad  begins,  and  worse  remains  behind. 

(HAMLET  weeps  over  body  of  POLONIUS.) 

CURTAIN. 


1 93 1 


ACT    FOUR 


THE  FIRST  SCENE 

\tfhe  scene  shows  a  room  in  the  Castle  of  Elsinore. 
QUEEN  and  MARCELLUS  enter.~\ 


QUEEN. 
I  WILL  not  speak  with  her. 

MARCELLUS. 

She  is  importunate,  indeed  distract  : 
Her  mood  will  needs  be  pitied. 
She  speaks  much  of  her  father,  says  she  hears 
There's  tricks  i'  the  world,  and  hems  and  beats 

her  heart, 
'Twere  good  she  were  spoken  with,  for  she  may 

strew 
Dangerous  conjectures  in  ill-breeding  minds. 

QUEEN. 

Let  her  come  in.  (Exit  MARCELLUS.) 

(Aside^)  To  my  sick  soul,  as  sin's  true  nature  is, 
Each  toy  seems  prologue  to  some  great  amiss. 

Re-enter  MARCELLUS,  -with  OPHELIA. 

OPHELIA. 
Where  is  the  beauteous  majesty  of  Denmark  ? 

QUEEN 

How  now,  Ophelia  ! 

OPHELIA.     (Sings) 

How  should  I  your  true  love  know 

From  another  one  ? 
By  his  cockle  hat  and  staff 

And  his  sandal  shoon. 

QUEEN. 

Alas,  sweet  lady,  what  imports  this  song  ? 

[97] 


HAMLEToeA    TRAGEDY 

OPHELIA. 
Say  you  ?  nay,  pray  you,  mark. 

(Sings)   He  is  dead  and  gone,  lady, 

He  is  dead  and  gone ; 
At  his  head  a  grass-green  turf, 
At  his  heels  a  stone. 

Oh,  oh ! 

QUEEN. 

Nay,  but,  Ophelia, — 

OPHELIA. 

Pray  you,  mark. 

(Sings)  White  his  shroud  as  the  mountain  snow, — 
Enter  KING. 

QUEEN. 
Alas,  look  here,  my  lord. 

OPHELIA.     (Sings) 

Larded  with  sweet  flowers ; 
Which  bewept  to  the  grave  did  go 
With  true-love  showers. 

KING, 
How  do  you,  pretty  lady? 

OPHELIA. 

Well,  God  'ild  you !  They  say  the  owl  was  a 
baker's  daughter.  Lord,  we  know  what  we  are, 
but  know  not  what  we  may  be.  God  be  at  your 
table ! 

KING. 
Conceit  upon  her  father. 

OPHELIA. 

Pray  you,  let's  have  no  words  of  this ;  but  when 
they  ask  you  what  it  means,  say  you  this: 

[98] 


HE  IS  DEAD  AND  GONE,  LADY. 


ACT  FOUR^FIRST  SCENE 

(Sings)  To-morrow  is  Saint  Valentine's  day 

All  in  the  morning  betime, 
And  I  a  maid  at  your  window 
To  be  your  Valentine. 

KING. 

Pretty  Ophelia ! 
How  long  hath  she  been  thus? 

OPHELIA. 

I  hope  all  will  be  well.  We  must  be  patient : 
but  I  cannot  choose  but  weep,  to  think  they 
should  lay  him  i'  the  cold  ground.  My  brother 
shall  know  of  it :  and  so  I  thank  you  for  your  good 
counsel.  Come,  my  coach  !  Good  night,  ladies ; 
good  night,  sweet  ladies;  good  night,  good  night. 

(Exit.) 
KING. 

Follow  her  close;  give  her  good  watch,  I  pray 
you.  (Exit  MARCELLUS.) 

O,  this  is  the  poison  of  deep  grief;  it  springs 
All  from  her  father's  death.     O  Gertrude,  Ger- 
trude, 

When  sorrows  come,  they  come  not  single  spies, 
But  in  battalions  !  (A  noise  within.) 

QUEEN. 
Alack,  what  noise  is  this *? 

.Enter  MARCELLUS. 

KING. 
What  is  the  matter  ? 

MARCELLUS. 

Save  yourself,  my  lord: 
The  ocean,  overpeering  of  his  list, 
Eats  not  the  flats  with  more  impetuous  haste 
Than  young  Laertes,  in  a  riotous  head, 

[99] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

Overbears  your  officers.    The  rabble  call  him  lord; 
They  cry  "  Choose  we ;  Laertes  shall  be  king  !  " 
Caps,  hands  and  tongues  applaud  it  to  the  clouds, 
"  Laertes  shall  be  king,  Laertes  king  !  " 

(Noise  within) 
KING. 
The  doors  are  broke. 

Enter  LAERTES,  armed  ;  DANES  following. 

LAERTES. 
Where  is  this  king  ?   Sirs,  stand  you  all  without. 

DANES. 

No,  let's  come  in. 

LAERTES. 
I  pray  you,  give  me  leave. 

DANES. 

We  will,  we  will.        (tfhey  retire  without  the  door) 

LAERTES. 

I  thank  you :  keep  the  door.     O  thou  vile  king, 
Give  me  my  father ! 

QUEEN. 

Calmly,  good  Laertes. 

KING. 

What  is  the  cause,  Laertes, 
That  thy  rebellion  looks  so  giant-like  ? 
Let  him  go,  Gertrude ;  do  not  fear  our  person  ; 
There's  such  divinity  doth  hedge  a  king, 
That  treason  can  but  peep  to  what  it  would. 
Let  him  go,  Gertrude. 

LAERTES. 
Where  is  my  father  ? 

KING. 
Dead. 

[100] 


"  AT  HIS  HEAD  A  GRASS  GREEN  TURF,  AT  HIS  FOOT  A  STONE. 


ACT  FOURotFIRST  SCENE 

QUEEN. 

But  not  by  him. 

KING. 
Let  him  demand  his  fill. 

LAERTES. 

How  came  he  dead  ?     I'll  not  be  juggled  with  : 
To  hell,  allegiance  !     To  this  point  I  stand, 
That  both  the  worlds  I  give  to  negligence, 
Let  come  what  comes ;  only  I'll  be  revenged 
Most  throughly  for  my  father. 

KING. 

Who  shall  stay  you  ? 

LAERTES. 

My  will,  not  all  the  world  : 
And  for  my  means,  I'll  husband  them  so  well, 
They  shall  go  far  with  little. 

KING. 

Good  Laertes, 

That  I  am  guiltless  of  your  father's  death, 
And  am  most  sensibly  in  grief  for  it, 
It  shall  as  level  to  your  judgment  pierce 
As  day  does  to  your  eye. 

DANES.  '   (Within^) 

Let  her  come  in. 

LAERTES. 
How  now !  what  noise  is  that  ? 

Re-enter  OPHELIA. 

O  rose  of  May ! 

Dear  maid,  kind  sister,  sweet  Ophelia! 

O  heavens !  is 't  possible  a  young  maid's  wits 

Should  be  as  mortal  as  an  old  man's  life  ? 

[101] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

OPHELIA.     (Sings.) 

They  bore  him  barefaced  on  the  bier : 
Hey  non  nonny,  nonny,  hey  nonny : 
And  in  his  grave  rain'd  many  a  tear, — 

Fare  you  well,  my  dove ! 

LAERTES. 

Hadst  thou  thy  wits,  and  didst  persuade  revenge, 
It  could  not  move  thus. 

OPHELIA.     (Sings.} 

You  must  sing  down  a-down, 
An  you  call  him  a-down-a. 

O,  how  the  wheel  becomes  it !     It  is  the  false 
steward,  that  stole  his  master's  daughter. 

LAERTES. 
This  nothing's  more  than  matter. 

OPHELIA. 

There's  rosemary,  that's  for  remembrance :  pray 
you,  love,  remember :  and  there  is  pansies,  that's 
for  thoughts. 

LAERTES. 

A  document  in  madness ;  thoughts  and  re- 
membrance fitted. 

OPHELIA. 

There's  fennel  for  you,  and  columbines  :  there's 
rue  for  you :  and  here's  some  for  me :  we  may 
call  it  herb  of  grace  o'  Sundays:  O, you  must 
wear  your  rue  with  a  difference.  There's  a  daisy : 
I  would  give  you  some  violets,  but  they  with- 
ered all  when  my  father  died :  they  say  a'  made 
a  good  end, — 

(Sings?)  For  bonnie  sweet  Robin  is  all  my  joy. 

[102] 


"AND    IN    HIS    GRAVE    RAIN'D    MANY    A    TEAR.' 


ACT  FOURa«FIRST  SCENE 

LAERTES. 

Thought  and  affliction,  passion,  hell  itself, 
She  turns  to  favour  and  to  prettiness. 

OPHELIA.     (Sings.) 
And  will  a'  not  come  again  *? 
And  will  aj  not  come  again  ? 

No,  no,  he  is  dead, 

Go  to  thy  death-bed, 
He  never  will  come  again. 
His  beard  was  as  white  as  snow, 
All  flaxen  was  his  poll : 

He  is  gone,  he  is  gone, 

And  we  cast  away  moan : 
God  ha'  mercy  on  his  soul ! 

And  of  all  Christian  souls,  I  pray  God.     God  be 

wi5  you.  (Extt.) 

KING. 

Laertes,  I  must  commune  with  your  grief, 
Or  you  deny  me  right.     Go  but  apart, 
Make  choice  of  whom  your  wisest  friends  you 

will. 
And  they  shall  hear  and  judge  'twixt  you  and 

me : 

If  by  direct  or  by  collateral  hand 
They   find   us   touch'd,   we   will   our   kingdom 

give, 

Our  crown,  our  life,  and  all  that  we  call  ours, 
To  you  in  satisfaction. 

LAERTES. 

Let  this  be  so ; 

His  means  of  death,  his  obscure  funeral, 
No  trophy,  sword,  nor  hatchment  o'er  his  bones, 
No  noble  rite  nor  formal  ostentation, 
Cry  to  be  heard,  as  'twere  from  heaven  to  earth, 
That  I  must  call  Jt  in  question. 

[103] 


HAMLET^A   TRAGEDY 

KING. 

So  you  shall ; 

And  where  the  offence  is  let  the  great  axe  fall. 
Hamlet  who  hath  your  noble  father  slain 
Pursued  my  life. 

LAERTES. 

And  so  have  I  a  noble  father  lost; 
A  sister  driven  into  desperate  terms, 
Whose  worth, 

Stood  challenger  on  mount  of  all  the  age 
For  her  perfections  :  but  my  revenge  will  come. 

Enter  a  MESSENGER,  with  letters. 

KING. 
How  now !  what  news  ? 

MESSENGER. 

Letters,  my  lord,  from  Hamlet : 
This  to  your  majesty ;  this  to  the  queen. 

KING. 
From  Hamlet !  who  brought  them  ^ 

MESSENGER. 

Sailors,  my  lord,  they  say  ;  I  saw  them  not : 
They  were  given  me  by  Claudio;  he  received 

them 
Of  him  that  brought  them. 

KING. 

Laertes,  you  shall  hear  them. 
Leave  us.  (Exit  MESSENGER.) 

(Reads.)  '*  High  and  mighty,  You  shall  know  I 
am  set  naked  on  your  kingdom.  To-morrow 
shall  I  beg  leave  to  see  your  kingly  eyes :  when 
I  shall,  first  asking  your  pardon  thereunto,  re- 
count the  occasion  of  my  sudden  and  more 
strange  return.  "  HAMLET." 

[104] 


" 

-^fj^BMMB 


THERE'S    A    DAISY  !" 


ACT  FOURotFIRST  SCENE 

What  should  this  mean?     Are  all  the  rest  come 

back? 
Or  is  it  some  abuse,  and  no  such  thing  ? 

LAERTES. 
Know  you  the  hand? 

KING. 

Tis  Hamlet's  character.     "  Naked ! " 
And  in  a  postscript  here,  he  says  "  alone." 
Can  you  advise  me  ? 

LAERTES. 

I'm  lost  in  it,  my  lord.     But  let  him  come ; 
It  warms  the  very  sickness  in  my  heart, 
That  I  shall  live  and  tell  him  to  his  teeth, 
"  Thus  didest  thou." 

KING. 

If  it  be  so,  Laertes, 
Will  you  be  ruled  by  me  ? 

LAERTES. 

Ay,  my  lord ; 
So  you  will  not  o'errule  me  to  a  peace. 

KING. 

To  thine  own  peace. 

You  have  been  talk'd  of  since  your  travel  much, 
And  that  in  Hamlet's  hearing,  for  a  quality 
Wherein,  they  say,  you  shine. 

LAERTES. 
What  part  is  that,  my  lord  ? 

KING. 

A  very  riband  in  the  cap  of  youth. 
Here  was  a  gentleman  of  Normandy : — 
He  made  confession  of  you, 
And  gave  you  such  a  masterly  report, 


HAMLET^tA  TRAGEDY 

For  art  and  exercise  in  your  defence, 

And  for  your  rapier  most  especial, 

That  he  cried  out,  'twould  be  a  sight  indeed 

If  one  could  match  you. 

Sir,  this  report  of  his 

Did  Hamlet  so  envenom  with  his  envy 

That  he  could  nothing  do  but  wish  and  beg 

Your  sudden  coming  o'er,  to  play  with  him. 

Now,  out  of  this — 

LAERTES. 
What  out  of  this,  my  lord  ? 

KING. 

Hamlet  return'd  shall  know  you  are  come  home : 
We'll  put  on  those  shall  praise  your  excellence 
And  set  a  double  varnish  on  the  fame 
The  Frenchman  gave  you;  bring  you  in  fine  to- 
gether 

And  wager  on  your  heads :  he,  being  remiss, 
Most  generous  and  free  from  all  contriving, 
Will  not  peruse  the  foils,  so  that  with  ease, 
Or  with  a  little  shuffling,  you  may  choose 
A  sword  unbated,  and  in  a  pass  of  practice 
Requite  him  for  your  father. 

LAERTES. 

I  will  do  't; 

And  for  that  purpose  I'll  anoint  my  sword. 
I  bought  an  unction  of  a  mountebank, 
So  mortal  that  but  dip  a  knife  in  it, 
Where  it  draws  blood  no  cataplasm  so  rare, 
Collected  from  all  simples  that  have  virtue 
Under  the  moon,  can  save  the  thing  from  death 
That   is    but   scratch'd    withal:    I'll   touch    my 

point 

With  this  contagion,  that,  if  I  gall  him  slightly, 
It  may  be  death. 

[106] 


ACT  FOUR^FIRST  SCENE 

KING. 

Let's  further  think  of  this  ; 
We'll  make  a  solemn  wager  on  your  cunnings : 
I  ha't  : 

When  in  your  motion  you  are  hot  and  dry — 
As  make  your  bouts  more  violent  to  that  end — 
And  that  he  calls  for  drink,  I'll  have  prepared  him 
A  chalice  for  the  nonce  ;  whereon  but  sipping, 
If  he  by  chance  escape  your  venom'd  stuck, 
Our  purpose  may  hold  there. 

Enter  QUEEN. 

QUEEN. 

One  woe  doth  tread  upon  another's  heel, 
So  fast  they  follow :  your  sister's  drown'd,  Laertes. 

LAERTES. 
Drown'd !     O,.  where  *? 

QUEEN. 

There  is  a  willow  grows  aslant  a  brook, 
That  shows  his  hoar  leaves  in  the  glassy  stream ; 
There  with  fantastic  garlands  did  she  come 
Of  crow-flowers,  nettles,  daisies,  and  long  purples ; 
There,  on  the  pendent  boughs  her  coronet  weeds 
Clambering  to  hang,  an  envious  sliver  broke ; 
When  down  her  weedy  trophies  and  herself 
Fell  in  the  weeping  brook. 

Enter  MARCELLUS  and  a  SOLDIER,  hearing  the  body 
of  OPHELIA  and  followed  by  ladies  and  courtiers. 

LAERTES. 

I  forbid  my  tears  :  but  yet 
It  is  our  trick ;  nature  her  custom  holds, 
Let  shame  say  what  it  will. 
Adieu,  my  lord : 

I  have  a  speech  of  fire  that  fain  would  blaze, 
But  that  this  folly  doubts  it. 

[107] 


ACT    FIVE 


THE  FIRST  SCENE 

\A  churchyard   is    shown   on    the    stage, 
CLOWNS  enter,  bearing  spades,  etcl\ 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

IS  she  to  be  buried  in  Christian  burial  that  wil- 
fully seeks  her  own  salvation  ? 

SECOND  CLOWN. 

I  tell  thee  she  is ;  and  therefore  make  her 
grave  straight:  the  crowner  hath  sat  on  her,  and 
finds  it  Christian  burial. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

How  can  that  be,  unless  she  drowned  herself 
in  her  own  defence  ? 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Why,  'tis  found  so. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

It  must  be  "  se  offendendo ;  "  it  cannot  be  else. 
For  here  lies  the  point :  if  I  drown  myself  witting- 
ly, it  argues  an  act:  and  an  act  hath  three  branches ; 
it  is,  to  act,  to  do,  to  perform :  argal,  she  drowned 
herself  wittingly. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Nay,  but  hear  you,  goodman  delver. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Give  me  leave.  Here  lies  the  water;  good: 
here  stands  the  man ;  good :  if  the  man  go  to 
this  water  and  drown  himself,  it  is,  will  he,  nill 
he,  he  goes;  mark  you  that;  but  if  the  water 
come  to  him  and  drown  him,  he  drowns  not  him- 
self: argal,  he  that  is  not  guilty  of  bis  own  death 
shortens  not  his  own  life. 

I  in] 


HAMLET^A  TRAGEDY 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
But  is  this  law  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
Ay,  marry,  is't;  crowner's  quest  law. 

SECOND  CLOWN: 

Will  you  ha'  the  truth  on  't  ?  If  this  had  not 
been  a  gentlewoman,  she  should  have  been  buried 
out  o'  Christian  burial. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Why,  there  thou  say'st:  and  the  more  pity 
that  great  folk  should  have  countenance  in  this 
world  to  drown  or  hang  themselves,  more  than 
their  even  Christian.  Come,  my  spade.  There 
is  no  ancient  gentlemen  but  gardeners,  ditchers 
and  grave-makers :  they  hold  up  Adam's  profes- 
sion. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 

Was  he  a  gentleman  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
A'  was  the  first  that  ever  bore  arms. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Why,  he  had  none. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

What,  art  a  heathen  ?  How  dost  thou  under- 
stand the  Scripture  ?  The  Scripture  says  Adam 
digged:  could  he  dig  without  arms?  I'll  put 
another  question  to  thee :  if  thou  answerest  me 
not  to  the  purpose,  confess  thyself — 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Go  to. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

What  is  he  that  builds  stronger  than  either  the 
mason,  the  shipwright,  or  the  carpenter  ? 

[112} 


ACT  FIVEoeTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

SECOND  CLOWN. 

The  gallows-maker ;  for  that  frame  outlives  a 
thousand  tenants. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

I  like  thy  wit  well,  in  good  faith :  the  gallows 
does  well ;  but  how  does  it  well  ?  it  does  well  to 
those  that  do  ill :  now,  thou  dost  ill  to  say  the  gal- 
lows is  built  stronger  than  the  church :  argal,  the 
gallows  may  do  well  to  thee.  To  't  again,  come. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 

"  Who  builds  stronger  than  a  mason,  a  ship- 
wright, or  a  carpenter  *?  " 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
Ay,  tell  me  that,  and  unyoke. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Marry,  now  I  can  tell. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
To't. 

SECOND  CLOWN. 
Mass,  I  cannot  tell. 

Enter  HAMLET  and  HORATIO,  afar  off. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Cudgel  thy  brains  no  more  about  it,  for  your 
dull  ass  will  not  mend  his  pace  with  beating,  and 
when  you  are  asked  this  question  next,  say  "  a 
grave-maker  : "  the  houses  that  he  makes  last  till 
doomsday.  Go,  get  thee  to  Yaughan;  fetch  me 
a  stoup  of  liquor.  (Exit  SECOND  CLOWN.) 

(He  digs,  and  sings.) 

In  youth,  when  I  did  love,  did  love, 

Methought  it  was  very  sweet, 
To  contract,  O,  the  time,  for-a  my  behove, 

O,  methought,  there-a  was  nothing-a  meet. 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

Has  this  fellow  no  feeling  of  his  business,  that 
he  sings  at  grave-making*? 

HORATIO. 

Custom  hath  made  it  in  him  a  property  of 
easiness. 

HAMLET. 

'Tis  e'en  so :  the  hand  of  little  employment 
hath  the  daintier  sense. 

FIRST  CLOWN.     (Sings.) 

But  age,  with  his  stealing  steps, 
Hath  claw'd  me  in  his  clutch, 
And  hath  shipped  me  intil  the  land, 
As  if  I  had  never  been  such. 

(throws  up  a  skull.) 
HAMLET. 

That  skull  had  a  tongue  in  it,  and  could  sing 
once :  how  the  knave  jowls  it  to  the  ground,  as 
if  it  were  Cain's  jaw-bone,  that  did  the  first  mur- 
der !  It  might  be  the  pate  of  a  politician,  which 
this  ass  now  o'er-reaches ;  one  that  would  circum- 
vent God,  might  it  not  ? 

HORATIO. 
It  might,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Did  these  bones  cost  no  more  the  breeding, 
but  to  play  at  loggats  with  'em  *?  mine  ache  to 
think  on  't. 

FIRST  CLOWN.     (Sings.) 
A  pick-axe,  and  a  spade,  a  spade, 

For  and  a  shrouding  sheet : 
O,  a  pit  of  clay  for  to  be  made 
For  such  a  guest  is  meet. 

up  another  skull.) 


ACT  FIVE^tTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

HAMLET. 

There's  another:  why  may  not  that  be  the 
skull  of  a  lawyer?  Where  be  his  quiddities 
now,  his  quillets,  his  cases,  his  tenures,  and  his 
tricks  ?  why  does  he  suffer  this  rude  knave  now 
to  knock  him  about  the  sconce  with  a  dirty  shovel, 
and  will  not  tell  him  of  his  action  of  battery  ?  I 
will  speak  to  this  fellow.  Whose  grave's  this, 
sirrah  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Mine,  sir. 

(Sings.)     O,  a  pit  of  clay  for  to  be  made 
For  such  a  guest  is  meet. 

HAMLET. 
I  think  it  be  thine  indeed,  for  thou  liest  in  't. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

You  lie  out  on  5t,  sir,  and  therefore  'tis  not 
yours :  for  my  part,  I  do  not  lie  in  't,  and  yet  it 


is  mine. 


HAMLET. 

Thou  dost  lie  in  't,  to  be  in  't  and  say  it  is 
thine  :  'tis  for  the  dead,  not  for  the  quick;  there- 
fore thou  liest. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

'Tis  a  quick  lie,  sir ;  'twill  away  again,  from 
me  to  you. 

HAMLET. 
What  man  dost  thou  dig  it  for? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
For  no  man,  sir. 

HAMLET. 
What  woman  then  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
For  none  neither. 


HAMLETotA  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 
Who  is  to  be  buried  in  't? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

One  that  was  a  woman,  sir ;  but,  rest  her  soul, 
she's  dead. 

HAMLET. 

How  absolute  the  knave  is !  we  must  speak  by 
the  card,  or  equivocation  will  undo  us.  How 
long  hast  thou  been  a  grave-maker  *? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Of  all  the  days  i?  the  year,  I  came  to 't  that  day 
that  our  last  King  Hamlet  o'ercame  Fortinbras. 

HAMLET. 
How  long  is  that  since  *? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Cannot  you  tell  that  ?  every  fool  can  tell  that : 
it  was  that  very  day  that  young  Hamlet  was  born ; 
he  that  is  mad,  and  sent  into  England. 

HAMLET. 
Ay,  marry,  why  was  he  sent  into  England  *? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Why,  because  a}  was  mad :  a*  shall  recover 
his  wits  there ;  or,  if  a'  do  not,  'tis  no  great  mat- 
ter there. 

HAMLET. 
Why4? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

'Twill  not  be  seen  in  him  there ;  there  the  men 
are  as  mad  as  he. 

HAMLET. 
How  came  he  mad  ? 

[116] 


ACT  FIVEoeTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
Very  strangely,  they  say. 

HAMLET. 
How  "  strangely  "  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
Faith,  e'en  with  losing  his  wits. 

HAMLET. 
Upon  what  ground  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Why,  here  in  Denmark :  I  have  been  sexton 
here,  man  and  boy,  thirty  years. 

HAMLET. 
How  long  will  a  man  lie  i'  the  earth  ere  he  rot? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

V  faith,  if  a*  be  not  rotten  before  a*  die — a'  will 
last  you  some  eight  year  or  nine  year :  a  tanner 
will  last  you  nine  year. 

HAMLET. 
Why  he  more  than  another  ? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

Why,  sir,  his  hide  is  so  tanned  with  his  trade 
that  a'  will  keep  out  water  a  great  while ;  and 
your  water  is  a  sore  decayer  of  your  dead  body. 
Here's  a  skull  now:  this  skull  has  lain  in  the 
earth  three  and  twenty  years. 

HAMLET. 
Whose  was  it? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

A  mad  fellow's  it  was  :  whose  do  you  think  it 
was? 

[117]        • 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

Nay,  I  know  not. 

FIRST  CLOWN. 

A  pestilence  on  him  for  a  mad  rogue !  a' 
poured  a  flagon  of  Rhenish  on  my  head  once. 
This  same  skull,  sir,  was  Yorick's  skull,  the 
king's  jester. 

HAMLET. 
This? 

FIRST  CLOWN. 
E'en  that. 

HAMLET,     (ffakes  the  skull.) 

Alas,  poor  Yorick !  I  knew  him,  Horatio :  a 
fellow  of  infinite  jest,  of  most  excellent  fancy :  he 
hath  borne  me  on  his  back  a  thousand  times;  and 
now  how  abhorred  in  my  imagination  it  is !  my 
gorge  rises  at  it.  Here  hung  those  lips  that  I 
have  kissed  I  know  not  how  oft.  Where  be 
your  gibes  now  ?  your  gambols  ?  your  songs  ? 
your  flashes  of  merriment,  that  were  wont  to  set 
the  table  on  a  roar  ?  Not  one  now,  to  mock 
your  own  grinning"?  quite  chop-fallen?  Now 
get  you  to  my  lady's  chamber,  and  tell  her,  let 
her  paint  an  inch  thick,  to  this  favour  she  must 
come;  make  her  laugh  at  that.  Prithee,  Ho- 
ratio, tell  me  one  thing. 

HORATIO. 
What's  that,  my  lord  ? 

HAMLET. 

Dost  thou  think  Alexander  looked  o*  this  fash- 
ion i'  the  earth  ? 

HORATIO. 
E'en  so. 

[118] 


"  ALAS,    POOR    YORICK  ! 


ACT  FIVE^THE  FIRST  SCENE 

HAMLET. 
And  smelt  so  ?  pah !     (Puts  dawn  the  skull.) 

HORATIO. 
E'en  so,  my  lord. 

HAMLET. 

To  what  base  uses  we  may  return,  Horatio ! 
Why  may  not  imagination  trace  the  noble  dust 
of  Alexander,  till  he  find  it  stopping  a  bung- 
hole  <? 

HORATIO. 
'Twere  to  consider  too  curiously,  to  consider  so. 

HAMLET. 

No,  faith,  not  a  jot;  but  to  follow  him  thither 
with  modesty  enough  and  likelihood  to  lead  it : 
as  thus :  Alexander  died,  Alexander  was  buried, 
Alexander  returneth  into  dust ;  the  dust  is  earth ; 
of  earth  we  make  loam ;  and  why  of  that  loam, 
whereto  he  was  converted,  might  they  not  stop 
a  beer-barrel  *? 

Imperious  Csesar,  dead  and  turn'd  to  clay, 
Might  stop  a  hole  to  keep  the  wind  away : 
O,  that  that  earth,  which  kept  the  world  in  awe, 
Should  patch  a  wall  to  expel  the  winter's  flaw ! 

But  soft !  but  soft !  aside :  here  comes  the  king. 

Enter  PRIESTS,  <3V.,  in  procession;  the  Corpse  of 
OPHELIA,  LAERTES  and  Mourners  following; 
KING,  QUEEN,  their  trains,  &c. 

The  queen,  the  courtiers :  who  is  this  they  follow*? 
And  with  such  maimed  rites  ?     This  doth  betoken 
The  corse  they  follow  did  with  desperate  hand 
Fordo  its  own  life :  'twas  of  some  estate. 
Couch  we  awhile,  and  mark. 

(Retiring  with  HORATIO.) 

[119] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

LAERTES. 
What  ceremony  else  *? 

HAMLET. 
That  is  Laertes,  a  very  noble  youth :  mark. 

LAERTES. 
What  ceremony  else  ? 

FIRST  PRIEST. 

Her  obsequies  have  been  as  far  enlarged 
As  we  have  warranty :  her  death  was  doubtful ; 
And,  but  that  great  command  o'ersways  the  order 
She  should  in  ground  unsanctified  have  lodged 
Till  the  last  trumpet ;  for  charitable  prayers, 
Shards,  flints  and  pebbles  should  be  thrown  on 

her : 

Yet  here  she  is  allowed  her  virgin  crants, 
Her  maiden  strewments  and  the  bringing  home 
Of  bell  and  burial. 

LAERTES. 
Must  there  no  more  be  done  ? 

FIRST  PRIEST. 

No  more  be  done  : 

We  should  profane  the  service  of  the  dead 
To  sing  a  requiem  and  such  rest  to  her 
As  to  peace-parted  souls. 

LAERTES. 

Lay  her  i'  the  earth : 
And  from  her  fair  and  unpolluted  flesh 
May  violets  spring !     I  tell  thee,  churlish  priest, 
A  ministering  angel  shall  my  sister  be, 
When  thou  liest  howling. 

HAMLET. 

What,  the  fair  Ophelia ! 
[120] 


ACT  FIVEoeTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

QUEEN.     (Scattering  flower s.) 
Sweets  to  the  sweet :  farewell ! 
I  hoped  thou  shouldst  have  been  my  Hamlef  s 

wife ; 

I  thought  thy  bride-bed  to  have  deck'd,  sweet  maid, 
And  not  have  strew'd  thy  grave. 

LAERTES. 

O,  treble  woe 

Fall  ten  times  treble  on  that  cursed  head 
Whose  wicked  deed  thy  most  ingenious  sense 
Deprived  thee  of!     Hold  off  the  earth  a  while, 
Till  I  have  caught  her  once  more  in  mine  arms : 

(Leaps  into  the  graved) 

Now  pile  your  dust  upon  the  quick  and  dead, 
Till  of  this  flat  a  mountain  you  have  made 
To  o'ertop  old  Pelion  or  the  skyish  head 
Of  blue  Olympus. 

HAMLET.     (Advancing?) 
What  is  he  whose  grief 

Bears  such  an  emphasis  ?  whose  phrase  of  sorrow 
Conjures  the  wandering  stars  and  makes  them 

stand 

Like  wonder-wounded  hearers  ?     This  is  I, 
Hamlet  the  Dane. 

LAERTES. 
The  devil  take  thy  soul.     (Grappling  with  him.) 

HAMLET. 

Thou  pray'st  not  well. 
I  prithee,  take  thy  fingers  from  my  throat; 
For,  though  I  am  not  splenitive  and  rash, 
Yet  have  I  in  me  something  dangerous, 
Which  let  thy  wisdom  fear.     Hold  off  thy  hand. 

KING. 
Pluck  them  asunder. 

[121] 


HAMLETotA   TRAGEDY 

QUEEN. 

Hamlet,  Hamlet ! 

ALL. 

Gentlemen, — 
HORATIO. 
Good  my  lord,  be  quiet. 

(fhe  Attendants  part  them,  and  they  come  out 
of  the  graved) 

HAMLET. 

Why,  I  will  fight  with  him  upon  this  theme 
Until  my  eyelids  will  no  longer  wag. 

QUEEN. 

0  my  son,  what  theme  ? 

HAMLET. 

1  loved  Ophelia :  forty  thousand  brothers 
Could  not,  with  all  their  quantity  of  love, 
Make  up  my  sum.     What  wilt  thou  do  for  her  ? 

KING. 
O,  he  is  mad,  Laertes. 

QUEEN. 
For  love  of  God,  forbear  him. 

HAMLET. 

'Swounds,  show  me  what  thou  'It  do: 
Woo  't  weep  ?  woo  't  fight  ?  woo  't  fast  ?  woo  't 

tear  thyself? 

I'll  do  't.     Dost  thou  come  here  to  whine  ? 
To  outface  me  with  leaping  in  her  grave  ? 
Be  buried  quick  with  her,  and  so  will  I : 
And,  if  thou  prate  of  mountains,  let  them  throw 
Millions  of  acres  on  us,  till  our  ground, 
Singeing  his  pate  against  the  burning  zone, 
Make  Ossa  like  a  wart !    Nay,  and  thou  'It  mouth, 
I'll  rant  as  well  as  thou. 

[122] 


ACT  FIVEoeTHE  FIRST  SCENE 

QUEEN. 

This  is  mere  madness : 
And  thus  a  while  the  fit  will  work  on  him ; 
Anon,  as  patient  as  the  female  dove 
When  that  her  golden  couplets  are  disclosed, 
His  silence  will  sit  drooping. 

HAMLET. 

Hear  you,  sir ; 

What  is  the  reason  that  you  use  me  thus  ? 
I  loved  you  ever :  but  it  is  no  matter ; 
Let  Hercules  himself  do  what  he  may, 
The  cat  will  mew,  and  dog  will  have  his  day. 

(Exit) 
KING. 
I  pray  thee,  good  Horatio,  wait  upon  him. 

(Exit  HORATIO.) 
(*fo  LAERTES)  Strengthen   your  patience  in  our 

last  night's  speech ; 

We'll  put  the  matter  to  the  present  push. 
This  grave  shall  have  a  living  monument : 
An  hour  of  quiet  shortly  shall  we  see  ; 
Till  then,  in  patience  our  proceeding  be. 

(Exeunt.) 


THE  SECOND  SCENE 

\A  hall  in  the  castle.  HAMLET  and  HORATIO 
enterl\ 

HAMLET. 

OUT  I  am  very  sorry,  good  Horatio, 
That  to  Laertes  I  forgot  myself; 
For,  by  the  image  of  my  cause,  I  see 
The  portraiture  of  his :  I'll  court  his  favours : 
But,  sure,  the  bravery  of  his  grief  did  put  me 
Into  a  towering  passion. 

HORATIO. 

Peace !  who  comes  here  ? 

Enter  OSRIC. 

OSRIC. 

Your  lordship  is  right  welcome  back  to  Den- 
mark. 

HAMLET. 

I  humbly  thank  you,  sir.     Dost  know  this  water- 
fly? 

HORATIO. 
No,  my  good  lord. 

HAMLET. 

Thy  state  is  the  more  gracious,  for  'tis  a  vice  to 
know  him. 

OSRIC. 

Sweet  lord,  if  your  lordship  were  at  leisure,  I 
should  impart  a  thing  to  you  from  his  majesty. 

HAMLET. 

I  will  receive  it,  sir,  with  all  diligence  of 
spirit.  Put  your  bonnet  to  his  right  use ;  'tis  for 
the  head. 

[124] 


ACT  FIVEotSECOND  SCENE 

OSRIC. 

I  thank  your  lordship,  it  is  very  hot. 

HAMLET. 

No,  believe  me,  'tis  very  cold;  the  wind  is 
northerly. 

OSRIC. 
It  is  indifferent  cold,  my  lord,  indeed. 

HAMLET. 

But  yet  methinks  it  is  very  sultry  and  hot,  or 
my  complexion — 

OSRIC. 

Exceedingly,  my  lord;  it  is  very  sultry,  as 
'twere, — I  cannot  tell  how.  But,  my  lord,  his 
majesty  bade  me  signify  to  you  that  he  has  laid 
a  great  wager  on  your  head  :  sir,  this  is  the  mat- 
ter— 

HAMLET. 
I  beseech  you,  remember — 

(HAMLET  moves  him  to  put  on  his  hat.) 

OSRIC. 

Nay,  good  my  lord;  for  mine  ease,  in  good 
faith.  Sir,  here  is  newly  come  to  court  Laertes ; 
believe  me,  an  absolute  gentleman,  full  of  most 
excellent  differences,  of  very  soft  society  and 
great  showing:  indeed,  to  speak  feelingly  of  him, 
he  is  the  card  or  calendar  of  gentry,  for  you  shall 
find  in  him  the  continent  of  what  part  a  gentle- 
man would  see. 

HAMLET. 

What  imports  the  nomination  of  this  gentle- 
man? 

OSRIC. 

Of  Laertes? 

[125] 


HAMLEToeA   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 
Of  him,  sir. 

OSRIC. 

You  are  not  ignorant  of  what  excellence 
Laertes  is — 

HAMLET. 

I  dare  not  confess  that,  lest  I  should  compare 
with  him  in  excellence ;  but,  to  know  a  man 
well,  were  to  know  himself. 

OSRIC. 
I  mean,  sir,  for  his  weapon. 

HAMLET. 
What's  his  weapon  ? 

OSRIC. 
Rapier  and  dagger. 

HAMLET. 
That's  two  of  his  weapons :  but,  well. 

OSRIC. 

The  king,  sir,  hath  wagered  with  him  six  Bar- 
bary  horses :  against  the  which  he  has  imponed, 
as  I  take  it,  six  French  rapiers  and  poniards,  with 
their  assigns,  as  girdle,  hanger,  and  so :  three  of 
the  carriages,  in  faith,  are  very  dear  to  fancy,  very 
responsive  to  the  hilts,  most  delicate  carriages, 
and  of  very  liberal  conceit. 

HAMLET. 
What  call  you  the  carriages  *? 

OSRIC. 
The  carriages,  sir,  are  the  hangers. 

HAMLET. 

The  phrase  would  be  more  germane  to  the 
matter  if  we  could  carry  a  cannon  by  our  sides. 

[126] 


ACT  FIVEosSECOND  SCENE 

OSRIC. 

The  king,  sir,  hath  laid,  sir,  that  in  a  dozen 
passes  between  yourself  and  him,  he  shall  not  ex- 
ceed you  three  hits :  he  hath  laid  on  twelve  for 
nine ;  and  it  would  come  to  immediate  trial,  if 
your  lordship  would  vouchsafe  the  answer. 

HAMLET. 
How  if  I  answer  "  no  "  ? 

OSRIC. 

I  mean,  my  lord,  the  opposition  of  your  per- 
son in  trial. 

HAMLET. 

Sir,  I  will  walk  here  in  the  hall :  if  it  please 
his  majesty,  it  is  the  breathing  time  of  day  with 
me ;  let  the  foils  be  brought,  the  gentleman  will- 
ing, and  the  king  hold  his  purpose,  I  will  win  for 
him  an  I  can ;  if  not,  I  will  gain  nothing  but  my 
shame  and  the  odd  hits. 

OSRIC. 
Shall  I  redeliver  you  e'en  so  ? 

HAMLET. 

To  this  effect,  sir,  after  what  flourish  your  nat- 
ure will. 

OSRIC. 
I  commend  my  duty  to  your  lordship. 

HAMLET. 

Yours,  yours.  (Exit  OSRIC.)  He  does  well 
to  commend  it  himself;  there  are  no  tongues 
else  for  's  turn. 

HORATIO. 

You  will  lose  this  wager,  my  lord. 
[127] 


HAMLET**A   TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 

I  do  not  think  so ;  since  he  went  into  France, 
I  have  been  in  continual  practice ;  I  shall  win  at 
the  odds.  But  thou  wouldst  not  think  how  ill 
all 's  here  about  my  heart :  but  it  is  no  matter. 

HORATIO. 
Nay,  good  my  lord, — 

HAMLET. 

It  is  but  foolery;  but  it  is  such  a  kind  of  gain- 
giving  as  would  perhaps  trouble  a  woman. 

HORATIO. 

If  your  mind  dislike  any  thing,  obey  it.  I 
will  forestal  their  repair  hither,  and  say  you  are 
not  fit. 

HAMLET. 

Not  a  whit ;  we  defy  augury :  there  is  special 
providence  in  the  fall  of  a  sparrow.  If  it  be 
now,  'tis  not  to  come ;  if  it  be  not  to  come,  it  will 
be  now ;  if  it  be  not  now,  yet  it  will  come  :  the 
readiness  is  all.  There's  a  divinity  that  shapes 
our  ends,  rough  hew  them  how  we  will.  Let  be. 
(Exit  HORATIO  and  HAMLET.) 


[128] 


THE   THIRD   SCENE 

[A  hall  in  the  castle,  -where  are  seen  the  KING,  the 
QUEEN,  LAERTES,  and  LORDS,  OSRIC,  and  other  At- 
tendants with  foils  and  gauntlets  ;  also  a  table  and 
flagons  of  wine  on  it.  ] 

KING. 
V>OME,  Hamlet,  come,  and  take  this  hand  from 

me. 
(T&?  KING  puts  LAERTES'  hand  into  HAMLET'S.) 

HAMLET. 

Give  me  your  pardon,  sir :  I've  done  you  wrong ; 
But  pardon  't,  as  you  are  a  gentleman. 
Let  my  disclaiming  from  a  purposed  evil 
Free  me  so  far  in  your  most  generous  thoughts, 
That  I  have  shot  mine  arrow  o'er  the  house, 
And  hurt  my  brother. 

LAERTES. 

I  am  satisfied  in  nature, 

Whose  motive,  in  this  case,  should  stir  me  most 
To  my  revenge. 

I  do  receive  your  offer'd  love  like  love 
And  will  not  wrong  it. 

HAMLET. 

I  embrace  it  freely, 

And  will  this  brother's  wager  frankly  play. 
Give  us  the  foils.     Come  on. 

LAERTES. 

Come,  one  for  me. 

HAMLET. 

I'll  be  your  foil,  Laertes :  in  mine  ignorance 
Your  skill  shall,  like  a  star  i'  the  darkest  night, 
Stick  fiery  off  indeed. 

LAERTES. 

You  mock  me,  sin 
[129] 


HAMLET^A  TRAGEDY 

HAMLET. 
No,  by  this  hand. 

KING. 

Give  them  the  foils,  young  Osric.  Cousin  Hamlet, 
You  know  the  wager  ? 

HAMLET. 

Very  well,  my  lord ; 
Your  grace  has  laid  the  odds  o'  the  weaker  side. 

KING. 

I  do  not  fear  it ;  I  have  seen  you  both  : 

But  since  he  is  better'd,  we  have  therefore  odds. 

LAERTES. 
This  is  too  heavy ;  let  me  see  another. 

HAMLET. 

This   likes   me   well.      These    foils   have   all   a 
length  ?  (flhey  prepare  to  flay.) 

OSRIC. 
Ay,  my  good  lord. 

KING. 

Set  me  the  stoups  of  wine  upon  that  table. 
If  Hamlet  give  the  first  or  second  hit, 
Or  quit  in  answer  of  the  third  exchange, 
Let  all  the  battlements  their  ordnance  fire ; 
The  king  shall  drink  to  Hamlet's  better  breath ; 
And  in  the  cup  an  union  shall  he  throw, 
Richer  than  that  which  four  successive  kings 
In  Denmark's  crown  have  worn.     Give  me  the 

cups; 

And  let  the  kettle  to  the  trumpet  speak, 
The  trumpet  to  the  cannoneer  without, 
The  cannons  to  the  heavens,  the  heaven  to  earth, 
"Now  the  king  drinks  to  Hamlet."  Come,  begin; 
And  you,  the  judges,  bear  a  wary  eye. 

[130] 


ACT  FIVE**THIRD  SCENE 

HAMLET. 
Come  on,  sir. 

LAERTES. 
Come,  my  lord.  (ffhey  play.} 

HAMLET. 

One. 

LAERTES. 

No. 

HAMLET. 

Judgment. 
OSRIC. 
A  hit,  a  very  palpable  hit. 

LAERTES. 

Well;  again. 

KING. 
Stay;  give  me  drink.  Hamlet,  this  pearl  is 

thine ; 
Here's  to  thy  health. 

(Crumpets  sound,  and  cannon  shot  off  within?) 
Give  him  the  cup. 

HAMLET. 

I'll  play  this  bout  first;  set  it  by  a  while. 
Come.  (T 'hey  play)  Another  hit;  what  say  you? 

LAERTES. 
A  touch,  a  touch,  I  do  confess. 

KING. 
Our  son  shall  win. 

QUEEN. 
The  queen  carouses  to  thy  fortune,  Hamlet. 

HAMLET. 

Good  madam ! 


HAMLET«*A   TRAGEDY 

KING. 
Gertrude,  do  not  drink. 

QUEEN. 

I  will,  my  lord ;  I  pray  you,  pardon  me. 

KING.     (.Aside) 
It  is  the  poison'd  cup ;  it  is  too  late. 

LAERTES. 
My  lord,  I'll  hit  him  now. 

KING. 

I  do  not  think  't. 

LAERTES.    (Aside) 
And  yet  it  is  almost  against  my  conscience. 

HAMLET. 

Come,  for  the  third,  Laertes :  you  but  dally ; 
I  pray  you,  pass  with  your  best  violence ; 
I  am  afear'd  you  make  a  wanton  of  me. 

LAERTES. 
Say  you  so  ?  come  on.  (ffkey  play) 

OSRIC. 

Nothing,  neither  way. 

LAERTES. 
Have  at  you  now ! 

(LAERTES  wounds  HAMLET  ;  then,  in  scuffling, 
they  change  rapiers,  and  HAMLET  wounds 
LAERTES.) 

KING. 
Part  them ;  they  are  incensed. 

HAMLET. 
Nay,  come,  again.  (The  QUEEN  falls) 

OSRIC. 
Look  to  the  queen  there,  ho ! 

[  132  ] 


ACT  FIVE^tTHIRD  SCENE 

HORATIO. 
How  is  it ,  my  lord  ? 

OSRIC. 
How  is  't,  Laertes  ? 

LAERTES. 

Why,  as  a  woodcock  to  mine  own  springe,  Osric ; 
I  am  justly  kill'd  with  mine  own  treachery. 

HAMLET. 
How  does  the  queen  ? 

KING. 
She  swounds  to  see  them  bleed. 

QUEEN. 

No,  no,  the  drink,  the  drink, — O  my  dear  Ham- 
let— 
The  drink,  the  drink !     I  am  poison'd.        (Dies.) 

HAMLET. 

0  villany !     Ho  !  let  the  door  be  lock'd  : 
Treachery!  seek  it  out.  (LAERTES falls) 

LAERTES. 

It  is  here,  Hamlet :  Hamlet,  thou  art  slain ; 
No  medicine  in  the  world  can  do  thee  good, 
In  thee  there  is  not  half  an  hour  of  life; 
The  treacherous  instrument  is  in  thy  hand, 
Unbated  and  envenom'd :  the  foul  practice 
Hath  turn'd  itself  on  me ;  lo,  here  I  lie, 
Never  to  rise  again :  thy  mother 's  poisoned : 

1  can  no  more :  the  king,  the  king  's  to  blame. 

HAMLET. 

The  point  envenom'd  too  ! 
Then,  venom,  to  thy  work.          (Stabs  the  KING.) 

ALL. 
Treason!  treason! 

[133] 


HAMLETotATRAGEDY 

KING. 
O,  yet  defend  me,  friends  ;  I  am  but  hurt. 

HAMLET. 

Here,  thou  incestuous,  murderous,  damned  Dane, 
Drink  off  this  potion  : 
Follow  my  mother.  (KING  dies^) 

LAERTES. 

He  is  justly  served, 

Exchange  forgiveness  with  me,  noble  Hamlet  : 
Mine  and  my  father's  death  come  not  upon  thee, 
Nor  thine  on  me  !  (Dies) 

HAMLET. 

Heaven  make  thee  free  of  it  !     I  follow  thee. 
I  am  dead,  Horatio.     Wretched  queen,  adieu  ! 
You  that  look  pale  and  tremble  at  this  chance, 
That  are  but  mutes  or  audience  to  this  act, 
Had  I  but  time  —  as  this  fell  sergeant,  death, 
Is  strict  in  his  arrest  —  O,  I  could  tell  you— 
But  let  it  be.     Horatio,  I  am  dead  ; 
Thou  livest  ;  report  me  and  my  cause  aright 
To  the  unsatisfied. 

HORATIO. 

Never  believe  it  : 

I  am  more  an  antique  Roman  than  a  Dane: 
Here's  yet  some  liquor  left. 

HAMLET. 

As  thou  'rt  a  man, 

Give  me  the  cup  :  let  go  ;  by  heaven,  I'll  have  't. 
O  good  Horatio,  what  a  wounded  name, 
Things  standing  thus  unknown,  shall  live  behind 


me! 


If  thou  didst  ever  hold  me  in  thy  heart, 
Absent  thee  from  felicity  a  while, 


ACT  FIVEotTHIRD  SCENE 

And  in  this  harsh  world  draw  thy  breath  in  pain, 
To  tell  my  story. 

(March  afar  off,  and  shot  within.) 
What  warlike  noise  is  this  ? 

OSRIC. 

Young   Fortinbras,   with   conquest    come    from 
Poland. 

HAMLET. 

O,  I  die,  Horatio; 

The  potent  poison  quite  o'er-crows  my  spirit : 
But  I  do  prophesy  the  election  lights 
On  Fortinbras :  he  has  my  dying  voice. 
The  rest  is  silence.  (Dies.) 

HORATIO. 
Now  cracks  a  noble  heart.     Good  night,  sweet 

prince, 
And  flights  of  angels  sing  thee  to  thy  rest ! 

(March  within?) 

Enter  FORTINBRAS,  and  the  ENGLISH  AMBASSADORS, 
with  drum,  colours,  and  Attendants. 

FORTINBRAS. 
Where  is  this  sight  ? 

HORATIO. 

What  is  it  you  would  see *? 
If  aught  of  woe  or  wonder,  cease  your  search. 
And  let  me  speak  to  the  yet  unknowing  world 
How  these  things  came  about. 

FORTINBRAS. 

Let  us  haste  to  hear  it, 
And  call  the  noblest  to  the  audience. 
For  me,  with  sorrow  I  embrace  my  fortune : 
I  have  some  rights  of  memory  in  this  kingdom, 

[135] 


HAMLETosA   TRAGEDY 

Which  now  to  claim  my  vantage  doth  invite  me. 

Bear  Hamlet,  like  a  soldier,  to  the  stage ; 

And,  for  his  passage, 

The  soldiers'  music  and  the  rites  of  war 

Speak  loudly  for  him. 

Go,  bid  the  soldiers  shoot. 

(A  dead  march.     Exeunt,  bearing  off  the  bodies : 
after  which  a  peal  of  ordnance  is  shot  off.) 


.,; 

j^^^^^^^fa^^^'       '•  '*]M*4^^^^MM^^te*A^^^^^^^^^I 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


REC'D 


FE629'64-J1AIM 


25MV646W 


REC'D 


APR    5'64-iPM 


3 1 1972  u  5 


JAH 


21  2DD4 


REC'P  UD 


-±W 


IN  STACKS       ULi  1  I  72 


07693 


M122650 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


••-VI... 


